Background

John Sibson lives in Cumbria having spent his youth in the north of England, earlier in Westmorland and later on Tyneside. An earlier career in mining and quarrying took him to North Wales, Northern Ontario and the Rockies of BC in Canada, the Highlands of Scotland and then Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.

It was here that he took up watercolour painting and quickly began to make a name with his distinctive style.

He soon had a number of one man and shared exhibitions in the Yorkshire area, and became an elected member and subsequently Chairman of the Yorkshire Watercolour Society. This led to exhibiting pictures three times in the Houses of Parliament, and at other times in Westminster, and as far afield as Poland.

He now lives Cumbria with his wife Frances. John paints full time in his studio at Hilton near Appleby in Westmorland, and Frances concentrates on her black and white photography, and picture framing.

Painting activity

John's main subject matter has been the hills and dales of the North of England and the historic market towns and cities of the area. The portrayal of the buildings within their landscape is his particular speciality.

More recently he has developed into marine art inspired by offshore sailing experiences and love of shipyards and this has resulted in having pictures accepted for recent annual exhibitions of the Royal Society of Marine Artists .

An interesting part of his work covers industrial subjects, especially of mines and quarries and includes locomotives steam traction engines, vintage tractors and cars etc.

He publishes his own range of limited edition reproductions, and giclee prints, mainly of his watercolours, but now of any of his original works which may be of wider interest.

John is also involved in tuition, giving regular demonstrations to art societies and other organisations, and in the running of painting holidays.