John Baxter
Land, Sea, Sky and Me
11 - 22 September 2024
G2
Opening Night
Friday 13 September | 6 - 8pm
◼︎
Growing up in rural Western Victoria, John’s love of painting emerged at an early age, nurtured by his parent’s passion for art and music and inspired by their deep respect for the environment.
After moving to Melbourne in his teens, he studied oil painting under John Balmain, an artist of the Meldrum school.
John’s ‘eye’ was trained to understand tone, composition and the rich colours of the Australian landscape. His paintings capture the power and clarity of natural light, best-experienced painting ‘en plein air’, despite flies, mosquitoes and the occasional snake.
John’s recent work has become more spontaneous exploring the cusp between realism and abstraction, applying earlier techniques through a newfound lens and integrating the use of acrylics and gouache.
John wants to create art that resonates with people, sharpening and altering perceptions of the every day, revealing the unfamiliar, and exploring stories, colour and emotions.
His recent 3D endeavours, in contrast to the paintings, are more introspective and focus on the concept of identity, exploring the ubiquitous question of nature versus nurture, peeling back the layers of “Where are you from?”
Artist CV
Training:
Learnt the fundamentals of drawing, painting and clay making, taking classroom art through to year 12
5 years of private oil painting lessons and mentoring under John Balmain
Formally introduced to art history over several years in the Fine Arts component of the University of Melbourne - Bachelor of Architecture, including elective subjects in Asian Art and Architecture
Studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen
Recent Competition Entries:
John Glover Prize in 2023
Gallery One Mitcham Smallacombe Portrait Prize, 2022
Darling Portrait Prize, 2023
Camberwell Art Show, 2023
Brunswick Street Gallery – Fifty Squared Art Prize, 2023
Awards:
Rotary Foundation Scholarship for the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts Copenhagen
Dandenong Festival commendations
Smallacombe Portrait Prize, 2022 – Highly Commended
Exhibitions, Commissions & Collections:
Solo & group exhibitions in the ’70s & 80’s, in Dandenong Mt. Eliza and Parkville
Received commissions for portraits, painted in oil on canvas
Commissions for landscapes, in watercolour and oil on canvas
Works are held in private collections in Denmark, Canada, Germany and throughout Australia
Painting Tours:
Travel for painting, drawing and Gallery visits over the years included, Denmark, Italy, France, Cypress, Spain, Qatar, Oman, China and Canada
Contact
Phone : (03) 9482 3550
mail@redgallery.com.au
Address
157 St Georges Rd
Fitzroy North, Victoria, 3068
Map
How to get here
Tram: Route 11
Stop 21 just north of Edinburgh Gardens
Melway Ref: 30B12
Parking in nearby streets
Bus: 504 (Reid Street)
