Once described by Toller Cranston as a “calculated Bohemian”, John combines a love of travel, curiosity for life and experimental spirit with the discipline of an athlete and the study of the traditional craft of art to create the unique expression of his art.
John’s first art form was as a professional musician. He spent three years in the early 1980’s touring Europe with the punk rock band, Theatre of Hate. In his spare time, he explored the European museums and when he returned to Canada, discovered his own expression through painting. Since then, he has studied art and painted through extensive travels and a variety of learning opportunities, including three months in New York in 2011.
Aptly named, John’s solo show at the McLaren Art Centre in Barrie was entitled “The Artist as a Traveller”. In 2007-2008, John lived and painted in Paris and Barcelona and has recently returned from a trip to Budapest and Barcelona. In addition, he visited the small town of Horta de San Juan where Picasso spent time as a youth and has been quoted as saying “ All I know, I learned in Horta”.
Over the past year John has visited a variety of parts of Canada from small towns and fishing villages in Quebec, the Gaspe and Nova Scotia, through his favourite sites in Georgian Bay, to the Cowboy Trail in Alberta and on to Vancouver and the west coast.
Travel, observation of life, and a study of the masters in international art continue to be integral to John’s artistic expression.
2002 - Studio school, New York, NY
1994, 1996 - International School of Art, Umbria, Italy
1005 - Art Students League of New York, NY
1992 to 1994 - Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto
ART INSTRUCTION:
University Club, Toronto, Ontario
McLaren Art Centre, Barrie, Ontario
Guest Lecturer, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland
2022 - Paint, Roberts Gallery
2020 - Connection, Roberts Gallery
2018 - A Space In Time, Roberts Gallery
2015 - The Paris Apartment, Roberts Gallery
2014 - Place and Spaces, Roberts Gallery
2012 - Rushing the Red Line, Roberts Gallery
2011 - New Paintings of Georgian Bay, Roberts Gallery
2005 - Hotel Templiers, France
2004 - Prince Street Gallery, New York
1998, 2001 - Kasper Gallery, Toronto
2002 - Jamie Kennedy Restaurant ROM, Toronto
2000 - Kraus Gallery, Berlin
2016 - John Lennard / Jack Bush, Roberts Gallery, Toronto
2011 - The Quiet Revolution of Canadian Art, Armory Show, New York
2009 - Group Show, Thielsen Gallery, London
2006 - MacLaren Art Centre, Barrie
2006 - present, Annual Artists Choice Exhibition, Roberts Gallery, Toronto
2005 - present, Art Toronto, Roberts Gallery, Toronto
2005 to 2016 - Sketches, Roberts Gallery, Toronto
Heenan Blaikie, Toronto
Tory Tory DesLauriers & Binnington, Toronto
First Executive Centre, Calgary
Joe Fung Architects, Hong Kong
Private collections in New York, Spain, Scotland, Berlin and throughout North America
Roberts Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Theilsen Gallery, London, Ontario
Masters Gallery, Calgary