John Bourne

Born 1943, Stoke on Trent
I am a figurative painter who gave up scientific research and teaching to paint full-time.

From 1963 to 1985, I studied and taught Science and Mathematics and did almost no art. In 1986, I gave up Science teaching to paint full-time. For me, the history of art is more about the history of painting than the development of new media.

I joined the Stuckists in 2001 and am co-founder of the Wrexham Stuckists and author of the website . In 2004, I helped hang the Stuckists Punk Victorian exhibition at the Walker.

My pictures are inspired by imagination and memories of my experiences. Some are about my childhood in N Ireland and others are about the modern world. I think painting may be able to reveal something of a world lying beyond the familiar world of time and space.

I make many pencil sketches of ideas for paintings and it may take years before I feel able to turn a sketch into a painting. I don’t like to use photographs, because they may include detail which is not relevant to the true subject of the picture. I am torn between realism and reducing things to more simple forms. I paint because there is nothing else that I want to do.

RESEARCH AND TEACHING

University College of North Wales, Bangor (Physics Degree) 1966-9

Imperial College of Science and Technology and H. C. Oersted Institute, Copenhagen (research Solid State Theory) 1969-72

Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy (Comprehensive School): teaching mathematics 1972-8

N. E. Wales Institute of Higher Education: physics lecturer 1978-86

ART EDUCATION

Mainly self-taught. I attended evening classes in my teens and was a student at Denbighshire Technical College for one term. I have also attended life classes since 1986

Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno.
University of Kent
Stuckism International London
Watkins Glen, New York State
More to follow.