John Dawkins has always drawn and painted. He trained as a graphic designer before having a long career working in London based design and advertising companies, eventually becoming senior management which drew him away from his former creative role. He started painting in his spare time and was soon exhibiting and selling his work. His early interest in marine subjects grew into a broader range of work including landscape painting and life drawing. He works across several media including oils, watercolour, line and wash, pencil and acrylic.

He has exhibited at The Mall Galleries in London, the South Coast, in his former neighbourhood in Essex and latterly, since retiring 10 years ago, in Coastal Suffolk. He is deeply involved in the local art scene including running a local art group in the Halesworth area.

His work is impressionistic, with much of his recent work incorporating a stylised encapsulation of the Suffolk Big Skies combined with a detailed rendition of the many beautiful coastal locations. He tries to create what might be seen as a ‘memory’ of a location, by enhancing the balance of tone and colour in any given view.