JOHN BLACKBURN

1932          June 2, born Luton, Bedfordshire.
1947-50    Educated St Gregory’s School, Luton.
                   Thanet School of Art.
1950-52    Maidenhead School of Art.
1952-54    National Service – Royal Air Force. 
1954-62    Lived in New Zealand and The Pacific Islands.
                   Has lived in Canterbury and London since 1962.

Elected Member of Society of Industrial Artists.
Is married with three children and seven grandchildren.
Short-listed for The Gregory Fellowship in Painting at University of Leeds.
Completed 3,400 mile charity walk around coast of England, Scotland and Wales.
Has taught at Thanet School of Art and Canterbury College of Technology.
Creation of Manufacturing Company in 1979, Canterbury Bears.
Elected Fellow of The Chartered Society of Designers, 1994.
Elected Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, 1994.

Included in private collections in
England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Finland, Switzerland, France, New Zealand,
USA and Sweden.

Included in public collections
Cambridge University: Kings; Magdelene; Clare; Jesus; Girton; Gonville & Caius.
University of Kent: Rutherford College.
Royal College of Physicians, London.
Linacre House, Oxford.
Essex University.
Newcastle University.
Dublin University.
Kettles Yard, University of Cambridge (permanent and loan collections).
The Bank of Ireland. London.

One-man and group exhibitions 1960–2010
Circle Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand.
Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand.
Woodstock Gallery, London.
Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol.
Dillwyn Gallery, Swansea.
Benet Gallery, Cambridge (twice).
Absolom and Centre Designs, Bath.
Clare College Music Room, Cambridge.
Halifax House, Oxford.
Rutherford College, University of Kent at Canterbury.
Dunelm House, Durham.
Senior Staff Common Room, University of Bristol.
Traverse Theatre Club, Edinburgh.
Gulbenkian Theatre, University of Kent at Canterbury.
Dorset Institute of Higher Education, Weymouth.
John Moores Biennale, Liverpool.
The Midland Group, Nottingham.
The Metropole Galleries, Folkestone 2006.
Osborne Samuel, London 2007.
Artis Gallery, Auckland 2009.
Osborne Samuel, London 2009.
Artis Gallery, Auckland 2010.
Lemon Street Gallery, Truro, Cornwall 2010.

Work 1947-–1998
Textile & wallcoverings – Designs from 1962 through 1978 in collections by Heals, Turnbull and Stockdale, Sandersons, Danasco, Palladio, Crown and ICL.

Book jacket designs
Wildwood Press, Student Work, 1947–52. (Collection Thos. Harvey, New Zealand).
Textile and Wallcoverings, 1950–52  (Collection Thos. Harvey, New Zealand).
Early Paintings and Designs in New Zealand, 1955-60.