John Cottee

John Cottee



About The Artist


In 2014, after 25 years as a graphic designer, producing designs on computer to other peoples specifications, for print, web, but especially animated video graphics, I have returned to my first love of producing by hand, on paper, works that express my feelings, needs, divertissements. I am fascinated by the interplay of nature and the built environment. The transient, the overlooked, the space between. Mutable elements: sky, water, the play of light and shadow. Using an iPhone as a sketchbook, I capture the transient moment, looking for the magic and mystery in the mundane, at the intersection of the natural and the built, hinting at a peripheral reality, a possible narrative. Predominantly taking my subject matter from Sydney’s (Australia) inner west, centering on Sydney Park and Newtown, and now in my new home in a small village outside Chiang Mai, Thailand, I interpret using expressive marks to reflect the visual reality. It is a direct approach, interpreting what I see, unconsciously investing a possible depth, a narrative which must be interpreted by the viewer’s imagination. I work on paper, mostly using pastel, with some watercolour and ink elements. all works are approximately A1 size. Recently I have also begun working in acrylics. CV 1947 Born, Sydney 1966-7 Studied Architecture, University of NSW 1970-2 National Art School 1974-6 Diploma in Art, Alexander Mackie CAE (later COFA), Sydney 1976 Group exhibition, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney 1979-80 Travelling throughout Asia: studied batik, Jogjakarta, Indonesia studied Pishwar painting, Rajasthan, India studied Tibetan Thanka painting, Dharmsala, India 1981 Studied drawing, Chelsea School of Art, London 1982 Diploma in Education, Sydney Institute 1983-89 Art teacher (Wawina Creative High, James Cook Boys High) 1986 Winner, Sleaze Ball poster competition 1987 Group exhibition, Works Gallery, Sydney 1988 Group exhibition, Roslyn Oxley Gallery9, Sydney 1989 Solo exhibition, “Vertical Hold”, North Sydney Contemporary Gallery 1989-2014 Lead graphic/digital designer, NSW Dept of Education & communities 2014 Highly commended, Green Way Art Prize 2014 Finalist, Blacktown City Art Prize 2015 Highly commended, Art-competition.net, Landscape 2016 Highly commended, art-competition.net, Land and sea scapes 2017 6th prize, art-competition.net, Scapes #