For one week only Johnsman (1968-1972) John Butler will be exhibiting paintings and telling stories at The Shop Gallery, 112 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe from 25 to 31 May. Opening night is 6pm Friday 26 May and all are welcome to view the paintings and especially to share stories from the good old days and journeys since.

John came from Canberra to study medicine and embraced all aspects of College life. He rowed in the College eight, was a member of the intercollege squash and billiards teams and was a backrower in the history making Rawson Cup rugby team, as well as serving on the House Committee and winning two St Patrick’s Day Golf Shoots despite not playing golf competitively (the bottles of Guinness were obviously a real magnet).

He left College to marry his Sancta sweetheart Gael Raftery with a wedding at the St John’s Chapel followed by a reception in the Sancta Octagon. Living in Ashfield he completed his degree and worked as an intern and RMO at RPAH, Marrickville and Lewisham Hospitals. He moved to the Central Coast in 1977 to establish a solo General Practice in Umina. Following a career in several Central Cost practices he escaped from medicine for a number of years, building a studio home on a riverfront Tasmanian wilderness and beginning a solo exhibiting career as a painter.

Returning to the Central Coast in 2009 he resumed his medical career, this time specialising in Youth Mental Health at Headspace Gosford where he worked until 2021 whilst continuing his painting career. Now permanently retired (again!)  he paints, travels and fishes. He is still drawn to wild places and many of his paintings reflect this. He and Gael also provide a regional escape in Terrigal for their granddaughter Olivia, who resides at Sancta studying Law.

John looks forward to reconnecting with fellow Johnsmen, and on behalf of the College, we congratulate him on his fine achievements.

To find out more about John's art, visit his website here.

Top to bottom: Concerto for Winter (Lucknow), Wild River, Lost in Translation, and the artist's invitation to his upcoming John Butler Solo exhibition.