
John Butler
Artist’s Statement
My need to paint joins me in a very long conga line of people who struggle to make sense of the world without the seemingly selfish pleasure of playing on a two dimensional plane with line and form and colour. Afterwards I can often make a “story “out of what I’ve made, but the process rarely works in reverse.
Living in Terrigal and working as a GP at Headspace Gosford life is in balance, the chaos of the work day and of the lives of the young people I support has its counterweight in the hours in the studio. The current paintings are playing mostly on the edge of abstract expressionism and are mostly concerned with landscape, although there are allusions to a world weary view of humanity and the sacredness of wild places, foxes and other scapegoats.Biography
Born Melbourne 1950. Exhibiting artist for 20+ years. Recently retired from GP role at headspace Gosford. Thousands of days on/ under/ near the water.
Influences
Exhibitions
1998 Myall Paperbarks - Salon Des Refuses (Wynne Prize)
2000 Pool Of Reflection - Awarded Contemporary Art Prize Wyong (Central Coast Festival Of Arts)
2006 Black Fish Mountain Awarded Contemporary Art Prize Wyong
2007 Nightfall-Finalist Mosman Art Prize
2008 Midnight At The Oasis-Finalist Outback Art Prize
2009 Crossings(Bringing Them Home)-Finalist Gallipoli Art Prize
2010 Frank Hurley’s Angels At Retaliation Farm- Finalist Gallipoli Art Prize
2010 Home 3 - Finalist ANL Maritime Art Prize
2010 Just Enough Ink For Tomorrow – Finalist Gosford Art Prize
2011 Headscape - Finalist Gosford Art Prize
2012 The Dog Has Gone Missing - Finalist Gosford Art Prize
2015 Big Orange (Landscape) - Finalist Gosford Art Prize
2016 Portal - Finalist Gosford Art Prize
2017 Portal Ii (Dock Of The Bay) - Finalist Gosford Art Prize
2018 Drawing Room - Finalist Gosford Art Prize
2019 Dog Watch- Finalist ANL Maritime Art Prize
2020 MORNING WALK ( WHITE CLIFFS WINTER) – FINALIST GOSFORD ART PRIZE
2020 STOKERS – FINALIST ANL MARITIME ART PRIZE
2021 IN FLANDERS FIELDS – FINALIST GALIPOLI ART PRIZE
Solo Exhibitions
2002 Leaving For Van Diemens Land - Pomona Road Studios Empire Bay
2007 Fugitives And Fables - Gallery 1842 Launceston
2008 Town And Country (Landscapes And Urban Myths) - Gallery 1842 Launceston
2009 Smoke And Mirrors - Gallery 1842 Launceston
2010 Lost And Found - Gallery 1842 Launceston
2011 Wild - Gallery 1842 Launceston
2012 In Sunshine Or In Shadow - The Design Gallery Terrigal
2013 Fragments And Dreams - The Design Gallery Terrigal
2014 Smoke And Mirrors – The Design Gallery Terrigal
2015 Waterways – The Design Gallery Terrigal
2016 Smoke On The Water – The Design Gallery Terrigal
2017 An Architect's Dream - The Design Gallery Terrigal
2018 La Mer : Mistress & Muse - The Design Gallery Terrigal
2018 Pleading The First - The Design Gallery Terrigal
2019 The Road Less Travelled (WINTER INTO SPRING) - The Design Gallery Terrigal
Website
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