John Gillies

John Gillies studied figure drawing under sculptor Tom Taylor at St Andrew's College, Christchurch and developed a special interest in portrait painting as a secondary school student. Later, when training as a medical student at the University of Otago including two years in the anatomy department dissecting the human body, John realised this learning experience would be invaluable for his intended art career in later life.

His first solo exhibition of landscape paintings were at Abernethy's Gallery in Dunedin and shortly after taking permanent residence in Christchurch in 1980, John became an artist member of the Canterbury Society of Arts and contributed work for exhibition as an invited guest on a regular basis with Fisher Fine Arts.

John's awards include:

Highly Commended, Telecom Art Award, 1992

Highly Commended, Montana World of Wearable Arts Award, 1998

Winner, Creative Excellence Award, NZ Association of Artist Doctors, 2005

Section Winner, Montana Wearable Arts Award, 2005

Winner, Painting Award NZ Association of Artist Doctors, 2006

His work is held in both corporate and private collections and he has been commissioned for portrait painting by the University of Otago, Princess Margaret Hospital, The Christchurch Clinical School of Medicine, St Andrews College and the Isaac Theatre Royal Trust. His portrait work was accepted in the Biennial Adam Portrait Award and his painting of Col. Bob Upton was selected for the "Double Exposure 3" exhibition in Wellington in 2007.

Recently, John published "In my Chair", an collection of portraits of prominent Cantabrians in 2008 and "11", a calendar of Canterbury cricket paintings in 2009. He regularly features in art magazines where articles profile his technique in his use of the palate knife.