At Sea

John Neville bio resume press

John Neville’s work chronicles the daily activities of the local fishermen, as well as their stories about the past. A native of Nova Scotia, Neville grew up Hall’s Harbor among a family of boat builders and fishermen. He draws on this experience and his imagination rather than photography or any other external, perceived reality.

Neville’s work is instantly recognizable because of his drawing style and his use of bold color. He says he has always drawn in the same style—a studied simplicity that has become his trademark for its beauty and consistency. His paintings depict daily life in Hall’s Harbor: a boy rescued from drowning; women taking revenge on a man who sells their husbands bootlegged liquor; or a man burning a boat that brought nothing but bad luck. Neville’s paintings and etchings record a vanishing way of life. Without Neville to tell these tales, they will soon be forgotten.

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BORN, 1952, Halls Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada

EDUCATION
Bachelor of Fine Arts, NS College of Art & Design, Halfiax, NS, 1972-’76
4th year at Center De Gravure Contermporaries, Geneva, Switzerland, 1975-’76

WORK EXPERIENCE
Board of Directors, Art Gallery of Nova Scotiam 1983
Chair of Visual Arts, Nova Scotia, 1982
Edited publication “Printmakers of Nova Scotia,” 1981
Nova Scotia Art Bank Advisory Board, 1981

ONE PERSON EXHIBITS
Firehouse Gallery, Damariscotta, ME, 1999-2002
Fog Forest Gallery, Sackville, New Brunswick, 1999
Gallery House, Nobleboro, ME, 1993, ’94, ’96
Houston North Gallery, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, 1992, ’93, ’94, ’96, 2000
Marianne Friedland Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, 1994
South Street Seaport Museum, NY, 1993
Acadia University Art Gallery, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, 1989
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1988
Great George Street Gallery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, 1987
University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick, 1980
Last Great Canadian Art Gallery, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, 1977
Anna Leonowens Gallery, NSCAD, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1976

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Carol Craven Gallery, Martha’s Vineyard, MA, 2002
Acadia University Collection, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, 1999
Houston North Gallery, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, 1984, ’85, ’87, ’88, ’91, ’99, 2002
Taigh Chearsabhagh, Nort Uist, Scotland, 1998
An Lainntair Gallery, Isle of Lewis, Scotland, 1998
Tobera Mory Gallery, Isle of Mull, Scotland, 1998
ACA Gallery, Manhattan, NY, 1997
Gallery House, Nobleboro, ME, 1991, ’92, ’95, ’97
Open Eye, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1996
Dalhouse Art Gallery, Nova Scotia, 1994

AWARDS
Canada Council Arts Traven & NS Arts Councikl Exhibition Grants, 1998
Canada Council Arts Grant “B”, 1986, ’90, ’94
Honorary Life Membership, Visual Arts, Nova Scotia, 1986
Special Project Grant, NS Dept. Culture, Recreation & Fitness, 1981
Effie May Ross Scholarship, NSCAD, 1975

COLLECTIONS
Dundee Educaton Authority Collection, Scotland
Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie University Art Galleries, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada Council Art Bank
Confederation Center Art Gallery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick
Nova Scotia Art Bank & Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Museum of Fine Arts, Geneva, Switzerland
Acadia University Art Gallery, Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Esso Resources Canada, Galgary, Alberta
The Canadian Fund, Ottawa, Ontaria

Estates

John Neville bio resume press

November 22, 2009

Nova Scotian John Neville's Work at Courthouse Gallery