John Gillies

John Gillies

Born in Christchurch in 1945 and educated at St. Andrew’s college where John studied figure drawing under sculptor Tom Taylor. Although on leaving school, John embarked on a medical career, he continued to paint and in 1972 held his first “one man” exhibition at Abernethy’s Gallery, Dunedin. Thereafter, he featured as an invited artist at Fisher’s Gallery in Christchurch, the Ashburton Society of Arts, the Darfield Society of Arts and at Artworks, Auckland.  John held a sell-out exhibition at the Village Antiques Gallery in Christchurch in 1994 and he continues to exhibit at selected galleries in the South Island. John’s portraits hang in the University of Otago’s Medical and Dental Schools, in Halls of Residence and in private collections. 

John and his wife, Jenny, live in Christchurch. They have a family of four adult children with an ever increasing number of grandchildren.

Publications

John’s art awards include:

1992 Highly recommended, Telecom Art Award

1998 Creative Excellence Award, N.Z. Wearable Arts Award

2005 Section winner, Montana World of Wearable Arts Award.

As an invited art tutor and exhibition judge:

2009 Judge, Zonta, School Leavers’ Exhibition, Ashburton

2012 Palette knife painting masterclass for professional artists, Brisbane

2013 Portrait painting masterclass, Ashburton Society of Arts

2013 Judge, Ashburton Society of Arts Annual Exhibition

2016 – 2020 Palette knife painting masterclasses.

John’s art publications include:

2008 – 2013 Articles on painting technique in:

 The Artist ( UK ) x 1

 The Australian Artist x 3

 The Artist’s Palette x 3

2008  Book: “In My Chair” featuring a collection of 60 portraits of Cantabrians with introduction by the late Jon Gadsby and text by the late David McPhail.

2022  Book ( in preparation ): Skippers Canyon, History, Art and Adventure, featuring 35 palette knife paintings, 40 sketches and 10 chapters.