My work represents an emotional response to landscapes. Inspired by landforms and landmarks, and influenced the prevailing light and weather, I create paintings that reflect the moods and atmosphere of places I know and visit.
Much of my inspirations comes from the area I have called home for the past five years, the South of Scotland and across the border into the far north of England. It’s a vast area of wide open landscapes, rolling hills and stunning dales. The region’s empty east and west coasts offer further inspiration for my work. I also draw inspiration from other places I visit across Scotland and England.
Much of my work tends towards representative, but I also enjoy working on more abstract pieces, often on a larger scale.
I mainly work with watercolours, because I love the freshness of the medium and its unpredictable nature. It’s a medium that lends itself to atmospheric landscapes. Over time, I have found I use fewer colours, whilst I now use more brushes to give a greater variety of washes and marks.
I work from my home studio, which overlooks a valley in the Border Hills,
When I’m not painting, I enjoy hill walking and I undertake voluntary work for local and national environmental charities.
“What we like about John is his a natural ability to ‘suggest’ rather than overstate, to express the essential, and to convey light beautifully.” Virginie Renard, White Fox Gallery, Coldstream.
Latest Exhibition
Hawick Art Club Open Exhibition, Wilton Lodge House, Hawick June 2023
Recent Exhibitions Summer of Art Fair, Old Gala House, Galashiels, July / August 2022
Burnside Gallery and Frames, Selkirk, Scottish Borders Winter Exhibition 17th November - 24th December 2021
White Fox Gallery, Coldstream, Scottish Borders Summer Exhibition August 2021
Burnside Gallery and Frames, Selkirk, Scottish Borders ‘Walks in the Borders’ with Charly Murray May - June 2021
White Fox Gallery, Coldstream, Scottish Borders, Winter Exhibition ‘Beyond’ - November - December 2020
White Fox Gallery, Coldstream, Scottish Borders, Spring Exhibition May - June 2020
Coquetdale Art Gallery, Rothbury, Northumberland March - December 2019
Allanbank Arts Centre, Duns, Scottish Borders, Autumn Exhibition November 2019
Allanbank Arts Centre, Duns, Scottish Borders, Open Exhibition August 2019
Allanbank Arts Centre, Duns, Scottish Borders, Affordable Art Exhibition May 2019
Allanbank Arts Centre, Duns, Scottish Borders, Affordable Art Exhibition November 2018
Allanbank Arts Centre, Duns, Scottish Borders, Open Exhibition - August 2018