My interest in art was established in childhood, as I saw a need to colour in any black and white pictures in my childrens story books. I was encouraged by my father who kept me supplied with paper, pencils, watercolour paints, then we went to the Overgate outdoor market to buy paintings so he could use the frames for my artwork. Looking back I shudder to think what good paintings got chucked out. Then many years later the magic of selling original paintings started when I got my first red dot at Darlington Art Society Annual Exhibition in 1980. This young Scottish artist was hooked as I never thought someone would want to buy my paintings. I then started painting at every spare moment as this became a second job and the remuneration was excellent.

I am largely self taught but constantly experiments with colour and light, tone and composition. I paint subjects from town to country, floral to figurative, snow scenes, summer landscapes, boats, Scottish castles, still life and pets, and after taking on an allotment I discovered more ideas with ramshackle sheds, fences, pots, wheelbarrows, flowers, fruit trees and vegetables. Although I had had a long career in horticulture taking me all over the United Kingdom I became a full time artist in 1992, just as the Government began to wind up the Scottish New Towns (I was in Livingston) and redundancy loomed. I have been fairly prolific and now (up to 2020) painted over 1800 paintings. All my paintings are numbered and have dates and titles on the back of the frame as well as on the artwork. I have published several limited edition prints

I exhibit paintings with both the Broughty Ferry Art Society as well as the Dundee Art Society. See my exhibition page for more details on my paintings.
I run art classes in my Original Art Studio in Dundee and am happy to hear from anyone looking for evening art classes in Dundee.
Contact Information:
To make any inquiry to buy original paintings or prints, discuss classes, or art commission work please contact John at his studio at 17A Menzieshill Road, Ninewells, Dundee DD2 1PS Scotland UK
Telephone: 01382 665879
email: johnstoa@blueyonder.co.uk

The Artist and his garden blog
I have been updating a blog with latest paintings and gardening techniques and pictures almost every week since 2008.

See them on my Artist Blog page However I have now got a new blog, so please check out my New Blog.

John’s video of Scottish Art
See a selection of John's original paintings in the video at bottom of page.

Art Collections and Art Commissions
2022 Carnoustie Beach for resident
2016 Commission to paint Caputh Church
2016 Commission to paint garden in Broughty Ferry
2015 Wedding gift Inchcolm Island 
2014 Portrait for Kyle and Dawn's engagement 
2012 Commission to paint Startpoint Lighthouse as retirement gift
2011 Figure study of Victoria 
2010 Portrait of child, Amelia for Dundee lady 
2009 Edinburgh Castle commission for a Scots now in USA. 
2008 LLoyds Bank, London, commission for retiral gift for manager. 
2008 Commission for landscape and nude painting for lady from Orkney 
2007 Downfield Golf Course
2005 Commission to paint Loch Fynne for Scot living in Portugal
2005 Commission to paint Edinburgh Castle for a Scot in south of England 
2004 Painting collection selected for a Scot living in Perth, Australia
2003 USA Commission to paint Edinburgh Castle for a wedding gift for a party from Indianapolis
2002 Scottish Parliament - purchase of large oil painting, 32,000 Christmas cards and 100 prints.
2002 St Columbus Hospice - 30,000 charity Christmas cards.
2002 Sophies Steakhouse and Bar - Fulham Road London.
2000 Woods of Perth - Factory commission and artwork for business stationery. 
1999 Campbell Distillery - 4000 postcards
1998 Falcon Marketing Edinburgh - corporate artwork for new buildings.
1997 Commission to paint Alyth Burn and bridge. 
1995 Tall Ships Race Leith Edinburgh
1994 Edradour Distillery - commission of painting and postcards
1994 Rutland Investment Managers
1993 Nightfreight - painting and Christmas cards.
1993 Morgan Partnership, Glasgow - painting and Christmas cards.
1992 Livingston Development Corporation - paintings for Christmas cards.

Contact Information: To make any enquiry, please click the contact button below, whether to buy original paintings or prints, discuss joining his art classes in Dundee, or art commission work.