John has been a member of the Society of Wildlife Artists since 2007 (SWLA). He is also a member of the Artists’ for Nature Foundation (ANF). He was awarded the Swarovski/Birdwatch Magazine Bird Artist of the Year in 2007. Winner of the Schminke Product Prize at The Pastel Society UK 2022

Participated in the ANF Residency to Madyar Pradesh, India 2010 and the ANF Project to Sark , Channel Islands, 2011. Also the Argyll Hope Spot residency in 2021.

He has had 2 books published by Langford Press, Between the Tides in 2007 and Drawn to the Edge in 2013. Both books written and illustrated to showcase the extraordinary diversity of habitat and wildlife around the UK coastline. His work has appeared in numerous other published book titles, also in The Artist magazine (including the Summer Issue 2019) and The Pastel Journal 2022.

John is an experienced and enthusiastic teacher:

Tutor for the Field Studies Council; ‘Drawing and Painting Birds’ 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017; ‘Drawing Mammals’ 2018; ‘Painting the Coast’ 2019.

Tutor on John Busby’s Seabird Drawing Week 2012 – 2016

Tutor (and tour leader) for ArtSafari; India 2012,  Zambia 2016 and 2019, Hungary 2017, Islay 2015 and 2017, Orkney 2019 and 2022.

Teaching weekly drawing and painting groups for over 15 years, including portraiture and life drawing, plus specialist Pastel Workshops and the course The Mindfulness of Drawing/Seeing.

Many workshops and demonstrations for art societies and groups

Exhibitions have included the SWLA at the Mall Galleries, London; ANF Sark book and touring exhibition; the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art; The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, Aberlady; McGill Duncan Gallery, Dumfries and Galloway; Birdscapes Gallery, Norfolk; Slimbridge WWT and the British Birdfair, Oakham, Rutland.

Commissions have included hide murals for the RSPB at Mersehead, Dumfries and Galloway and Lochwinnoch, Ayrshire; murals and illustrations for the National Trust for Scotland at Grey Mare’s Tail, Threave and Rockcliffe, all Dumfries and Galloway; paintings for the RSPB, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and the World Wildlife Fund.