Abstract artist John Bartley was born in 1956, Darlinghurst, Sydney. At the age of 30, Bartley commenced study at East Sydney Technical College, and graduated in 1988 with an Art Certificate and Higher Art Certificate.
Bartley’s work has been included in a number of group exhibitions across Australia including The Melbourne Art Fair, the Salon des Refusés, the Waverley Art Prize, the Fishers Ghost Art Prize, Mosman Art Prize (Winner, 1990) and the Gallipoli Art Prize.
In 2015 and 2016 John was the Artist in Residence at the Tweed Regional Gallery, NSW and in 2017, was the Artist in Residence at Haefligers Cottage, Hill End as elected by Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, NSW. John is most fond of his time as an Artist in Residence at Police Point, on the Mornington Peninsula.
Bartley is featured in a number of prominent public collections such as Allens Collection, Artbank, Baker and McKenzie, BHP Billiton, Clayton Utz Collection, Federal Law Court of Australia and the University and Schools Club.
John Bartley exhibited at Legge Gallery from 1990 to 2009, and at Watters Gallery from 2010 to 2018. With the closure of Watters Gallery, King Street Gallery welcomed John Bartley with the solo exhibition Dark Beautiful which commenced in 2020. John has an upcoming solo exhibition, ‘Well, How did I get here?’, at King Street Gallery in June 2024.
2024
“Well, How did I get here?” King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
2022
Something but Nothing King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
2020
Dark beautiful King Street Gallery on William
2018
Tweed, Hill End, Home Watters Gallery, Sydney
2016
Outside Watters Gallery
2014
On a Clear Day Watters Gallery
2012
Songs to the Siren Watters Gallery
2010
Air Watters Gallery
2009
Coming Up for Air Legge Gallery, Sydney
2007
Treading Water Legge Gallery
2006
Voyages Legge Gallery
2003
Saints Legge Gallery
2002
5 and 7 Legge Gallery
2001
High-key Holes Legge Gallery
1999
Devils In The Backseat Legge Gallery
1998
On The Wing Legge Gallery
1997
Belly Songs Legge Gallery
1996
Actually I’ve Always Wanted To Be A Singer! (a reprise) Legge Gallery
1995
Buildings, Food, God, Sex, Life, Death Legge Gallery
1994
Upstairs Legge Gallery
1993
Dark Cars With Maps Legge Gallery
1992
Progression Through Loss Legge Gallery
1991
Actually I’ve Always Wanted To Be A Singer Legge Gallery
1990
Drawings Legge Gallery
Looking For Jack Legge Gallery
2023
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2022
Mosman Art Prize
2020
The Watters Gift, online exhibition UTS Gallery, Sydney
2019
Inside/Outside King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
Abstract ‘19 King Street Gallery on William
2018
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2016
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery & Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery
2014
Watters Gallery 50th Anniversary Exhibition Watters Gallery
2013
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery
2012
Mosman Art Prize Mosman Council
Stand Up Close: Remembering Ron Lambert Wollongong City Gallery
Melbourne Art Fair 2012 Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
Gallipoli Art Prize Gallipoli Club, Sydney
2011
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery and Tweed River Regional Art Gallery, Murwillumbah, NSW
Frank’s Flat Maitland Regional Art Gallery, NSW
2010
Melbourne Art Fair 2010 Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
2009
John Bartley, Vivienne Ferguson & Derek O’Connor Legge Gallery.
2008
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery and Tweed River Art Gallery Murwillumbah
Melbourne Art Fair 2008 Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
2007
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery
Art Sydney 2007 Royal Hall of Industries, Moore Park, Sydney
2006
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery
Melbourne Art Fair 2006 Royal Exhibition Building
John Bartley and Vivienne Ferguson at Silvershot Melbourne
The Year in Art S.H. Ervin Gallery
2005
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery
2004
Depth of Field – Anamorphosis Utopia Art Sydney
Mosman Art Prize Mosman Council
Melbourne Art Fair 2004 Royal Exhibition Building
2003
The Year in Art S.H. Ervin Gallery
2002
Melbourne Art Fair 2002 Royal Exhibition Building
2000
Seventh Australian Contemporary Art Fair Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Vic
1999
University & Schools Club Art Prize Sydney
1998
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery
Sixth Australian Contemporary Art Fair Royal Exhibition Building
The Bryan Niland Collection Penrith Regional Gallery, NSW
1996
Fifth Australian Contemporary Art Fair Royal Exhibition Building
1994
Fourth Australian Contemporary Art Fair Royal Exhibition Building
1992
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery
1991
Common Sense Curated by Jacques Delaruelle, University of South Australia, SA
1990
Mosman Art Prize Mosman Council
Common Sense Curated by Jacques Delaruelle, King Street Gallery on Burton
1989
Inside the Greenhouse Tin Sheds Gallery
1988
Faber-Castell Drawing Prize Rex Irwin Gallery
Graduating Show East Sydney Technical College, Cell Block Theatre
Allens Collection
Artbank
Baker and McKenzie
BHP Billiton
Clayton Utz Collection
Faber-Castell
Federal Law Court of Australia
Laverty Collection
Mosman Council Collection
University & Schools Club
UTS, Sydney
It's difficult not to view John Bartley's works in relation to the bushfires, John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald, Good Weekend
28 February 2020
Dark beautiful catalogue essay by Sonia Legge
King Street Gallery on William Exhibition Catalogue
January 2020
COMMON SENSE Catalogue Essay by Jacques Delaruelle
University of South Australia Art Museum Exhibition Satalogue
7 March - 6 April 1991
Arts, Sydney Morning Herald
19 October 1990
