Taken from Elizabeth’s speech at John Horwill’s Retrospective Exhibition JUNE 1999
He was always refining his own work, perhaps following the self-taught primitive painter, Alfred Wallis, whose sayings were pinned on the walls of his studio :- “Don’t put paint where it don’t belong” this summed up John’s attitude to his own work, he didn’t put paint where it didn’t belong. However he was alert to the possibilities of extending painterly language.
John had definite views about the state of art in general, and expressed himself forcibly at length. He was a natural rebel who didn’t take kindly to authoritarianism in any form, people who got into discussion with him, knew that in full artistic flood he was unstoppable.
Many of his pupils would testify that he was an inspired and inspiring teacher who was always willing to give help and advice. He enjoyed seeing the students achieve their full potential.
John liked sending little notes to people he knew well, these were frequently illustrated by his own witty drawings ‘doodles’ he called them, these are indeed treasured by anyone lucky enough to receive them.
John was very musical, his taste was wide-ranging from:- Acker Bilk on the one hand, to Stravinsky on the other. Indeed one of his most successful paintings was called ‘Homage to Stravinsky’. John believed in the parallels between music and painting, which he liked to discuss. He also enjoyed Opera, and particularly, woman’s voices – Maria Callas singing ‘Visse Darte’ – I lived for art, this was played at his funeral.
John was held in much affection by his friends and we feel all the more his untimely passing, as he said there was still much to do.