12 / 52
John was born in 1948 in Maryhill, Glasgow. Having
studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1967-1971,
he went on to undertake postgraduate studies at GSA
in 1971-1972 and then a Dip. Ed. in 1972-1973. For
more than 25 years John pursued a successful career in
art education from his base in Argyll, West Scotland,
rising to Principal Teacher of Art at Lochgilphead High
School and Art Adviser to Strathclyde Region. He had
his first solo show in 1976 and since then has become
one of Scotland’s most loved and acclaimed artists.
Giving up his teaching career to paint full time in 1997,
John has successfully exhibited his work in solo and
mixed exhibitions at numerous galleries in Scotland,
England, Hong Kong and the USA. His spectacular
career has been captured in the film ‘I Know Where I’m
Going’ by Mitchell McGlone and the BBC TV Film,
‘The Man With the Golden Brush’ and in the books
‘The Colour of Life’ and ‘Jolomo – Retrospective’.
John frequently features in the
media, most recently on the
television programmes ‘Blethering
Scots’ and ‘Elizabeth Queen
of Scots’. In 2013 he appeared
in Nick Crane’s ‘Coast’ on the
BBC as it took in Scotland’s west
coast, particularly Oban and the
surrounding area. An in depth film
profile of John which was broadcast
by BBC Alba in October 2015
received wide critical acclaim.