Born in Kincardineshire, John studied at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen under Robert Henderson Blyth. While at the Hospitalfield Summer School, he met John Byrne and Sandy Fraser who became his lifelong friends. He taught at Glasgow School of Art from 1967 to 1988 before turning to painting full time. After a lifetime of successful exhibitions, a major retrospective of his work was held in Glasgow in 1994. His work is held in many public and corporate collections including the Paisley Art Gallery, Lillie Art Gallery, Fleming Collection, Arthur Anderson, and the People’s Palace. John was described by fellow painter Michael Scott, as ‘the quiet master of contemporary Scottish painting.’