Bio & Information
John Duncan Firth (England/Australian 1936-2017) Bio
Born England, 1936, had a natural ability to draw and paint at an early age Although self-taught, at the time was selected to exhibit work in the Huddersfield Public Gallery Youth Exhibition at the age of sixteen 1964 John, and his wife Barbara, emigrated to Australia, Although working full time as an engineer, he took up painting seriously in 1968, and joined Mitcham Arts Society, where later he was elected President for a period of two years Impressed with the Australian landscape and the effects of the sunlight on the bush, he continued his studies in Australia Resigning his position of Tool Design Engineer in 1978, he established himself as a Professional Teacher and Master Artist in Elsternwick, Victoria He has since held numerous successful one man shows at various Galleries in Australia, including Heritage House Vic, Jellat Gallery N.S.W. Waterfall Gallery Vic, Byrne house Gallery Moyhu Vic and Tuscany Galleries Healesville Vic In the early 1980’s he met and became friends with some Mountain Cattlemen of Victoria John has since learned to ride a horse, been to numerous annual musters and on packhorse trips Consequently, he is well known for his paintings depicting droving and other aspects of the Mountain Cattlemen’s lifestyle, which eventually led to the release of his publication “High Plains Muster”, in 1987, illustrated and written by John He also paints floral, still life subjects and portraits – Portraits include Charles Francis QC, Dorothy Baker past president of the Victorian Artists’ Society and Gus Mercurio Although working mostly with oils, like most artists from the past, he works well in all mediums, including watercolour and pastels In late 1989 John and Barbara left Elsternwick and purchased a historic Tudor mansion named “Tudor Lodge” in Yellingbo, Vic, where they have set up his studio and their successful Waterfall Gallery in beautiful garden surroundings
STUDIES: – Diploma in Art, London Art College 1955 Still Life and Life Drawing at The Belfast College of Technology 1958-59 and Tonal Painting for a 12-month period with Max Casey (Aust)
ART AWARDS TO DATE: – Winner of 50 Art Awards, the majority being major prizes, along with 99 commendations Since March 1993, John has won 9 first prizes, one being the $2,500 Reece Aust prize in the Camberwell Rotary Art Show
REPRESENTED: Bright Regional Collection (four paintings), Bulla Shire Council, Victor Harbour Council, Sherbrooke Shire Council (two paintings), Kingston Centre Vic, Caltex Aust, National Bank, Commonwealth Bank, R.M.I.T, The Melba Centre (two paintings), Reece Aust, Mono Pumps Aust and private collections throughout Australia and all over the world including the Lord Vesty collection, England
BIOGRAPHIES: Australian Artist Today, 2nd and 3rd editions, Artists and Galleries of Australia, 1st, 2nd and 3rd editions, Article published in Australian Artist magazine 6985, nominated and selected for inclusion in the American Biographical Institute’s “The International Directory of Distinguished Leadership” 2nd edition and selected for inclusion in the publications Hall of Fame section 1989, nominated and selected for inclusion in “International Register of Profiles” 10th edition published by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England, 1990 and the publication of High Plains Muster by John Duncan Firth
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS: – 1978 painting reproduced for the commercial print trade and greetings card trade
1984 painting reproduced on the cover of Australian Artists Today 3rd edition 1989 painting reproduced on the cover of the 057-telephone directory 1990 painting reproduced on the cover of R.M. Williams catalogue available all over Australia and London, England
1980-1991 a council member of the Australian Guild of Realist Artists Ltd and a past Vice-President He is also a past council member of the National Gallery Society of Victoria, exhibiting Signatory member of the Victorian Artists’ Society and exhibiting member of the Sherbrooke Artists Society Inc
Upon request John has been the judge of over 25 major art exhibitions within the State of Victoria
