John Rowlinson
John was born in North London in the late 1950s. Islington was already very culturally diverse and by the time John was in his teens, the social mix of people in the local neighbourhood started to include writers, musicians and artists.
Early in 1970 Islington Boat Club (a water based youth club) opened on an old barge in City Road Basin, this led to adventures away from London, experiencing rivers, mountains and coastlines, taking part in canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing and sailing.
Still actively working in outdoor pursuits, with a passion for sea kayaking, John now lives in Hertfordshire.
A few years ago, he was looking for something different to do on his weekday off and signed up for a mixed media course at Courtyard Arts. This new pursuit proved to be exciting and exhausting in equal measures, and producing art became important.
A change in shift pattern led to the need to find a new course, and this took him to a printing course, with print, John found a medium that let him explore images and techniques, producing works of things seen from a different perspective.
Piers from the Sea
Approaching a significant birthday and looking for a challenge, he was setting up for something physical, but due to a dislocated elbow while climbing had to look for a less strenuous alternative.
Using the National Piers Society list, he set about visiting the towns, paddling out in a sea kayak, taking an image on a digital camera and using this to produce a limited edition dry point etching.
Due to lockdowns and limits on travel this three year project has taken five years, but now complete, including the three new piers added during this time, he is bringing the series together by adding watercolour to the etchings, 63 piers plus some interesting structures and places on the way.
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South East
Southend to Brighton including Red Sands Fort, Herne Bay Old Pier Head, Royal Sovereign Light and Brighton West Pier.
East Coast
Roker to Clacton including Roughs Towers aka The Independent Principality of Sealand.
South Coast
Worthing to Falmouth including the piers on the Isle of Wight and the Needles.
Southwest and Wales
Burnham on Sea to Colwyn Bay
Northwest and Scotland
Southport to Fort William including the Isle of Man