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Born in Leeds to an Irish family, John’s own
life has taken him to diverse places from Siberia where he designed
costumes for opera to Brunei where he spent two years at the Dorchester.
John’s connection with Gibraltar began at school
with his Gibraltarian chum Alfred Trinidad, with whom he met up recently
after 34 years. He then went on to meet Gibraltar’s Financial Services
Commissioner, Marcus Killick, in his native North Yorkshire when he was
commissioned to paint portraits of Marcus’s children, and has since
gone on to paint the children of several eminent Gibraltarians.
John’s commissions include a host of British celebrities,
including Leon Britton, Freddie Truman and Michael Caine, as well as
a clutch of foreign royal families. A series of paintings bought to hang
in defunct celebrity restaurant Langans have gone on to hang in a
restaurant close to London’s House of Commons.
A lecturer in English for 10 years and a keen sportsman,
John opened his own studio (guest of honour Michael Parkinson) in the
beautiful setting of North Yorkshire, and began earning a living from
portraiture — not like some artists to subsidise his ‘real
works’ but because he genuinely loves doing it.
Some of his commissions have been a little more challenging
than the imagined sedate portrait sittings and John has many amusing
anecdotes of people he has met and places he has been. One wealthy client
wanted a portrait of himself in Arthurian costume with his pet
lion by his side, but insisted the lion be painted from life. Sketch
book in hand, John quite literally entered the lion’s den, keeper’s
hand firmly on his shoulder. Sketching as
quickly as he could he managed to capture the lion’s character
in
pencil before being whipped from the cage by the vigilant keeper just
as the lion pounced.
Another anecdote he enjoys telling involves his second
commission to paint ‘professional Head of the British Army’,
General Sir Richard Dannatt KCB CBE MC ADC Gen. At a speech on the day
of the unveiling John explained to gathered high-society that during
his time in London since the previous portrait he painted of Sir Richard
he had moved towards
a more modern style and palette. Moments later, a less than Picassoesque
painting was unveiled to a stunned hush from the audience, followed by
raucous laughter
when the real painting, complete with precisely detailed medals and carefully
painted uniform, was unveiled a few minutes later. A little bit of fun
Sir Richard had devised to entertain his guests.
While travelling here and there, John always has his
sketch pad handy, but he also carries with him his notebook in which
he has been writing the adventures of a little dragon named Lundravar
and his friend, adventurer Horatio. Afterm many years, John’s book
has finally
reached its conclusion and is ready to go to print, complete with fabulous
illustrations which will not just accompany the text but entwine with
the words on the pages.
In Lundravar the Dragon, John’s character Horatio
decides the best way to achieve his curious goal of kissing The Blarney
Stone is to take his hot air balloon via the Strait of
Gibraltar. In Gibraltar he and his friend, the little dragon, continue
their adventure encountering the mischievous monkeys and learning the
story behind the Rock’s Dragon Trees along the way.
The delightful book will go on sale early in 2008 when
launch parties will take place in Yorkshire, Ireland and Gibraltar. For
those who want a very special edition, advance orders are being taken
for the superb, blue-green (dragon coloured!)
leather-bound and signed collectors’ edition which is expected
to sell for up to £1,000 each.
A regular visitor to Gibraltar, John is now a permanent
resident of Madrid, a home-base chosen because of its great international
air links and because “it’s a nice
place to be.” He has two grown up daughters who live in the UK. John A. Blakey can be commissioned for portraits in
Gibraltarby emailing him
blakey-art@hotmail.com. Email is also the best way to reserve the signed
collector’s edition of Lundravar the Dragon.
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