King Street Gallery on William

John Bartley

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.

John has an upcoming solo exhibition, ‘Well, How did I get here?’, at King Street Gallery in June 2024.

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. Since then, Bartley has shown once more at King Street Gallery with Something but Nothing in May 2022.

John Bartley

Exhibitions

Solo exhibitions [selected]

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

Group Exhibitions [selected]

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

Collections

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

Something but Nothing 2022

View exhibition catalogue

Dark beautiful 2020

Tweed, Hill End, Home 2018

View exhibition catalogue

On a clear day 2014

View exhibition catalogue

Songs to the siren 2012

View exhibition catalogue

Treading water 2007

View exhibition catalogue

Dark beautiful catalogue essay by Sonia Legge

King Street Gallery on William Exhibition Catalogue

January 2020

Stars of the Salon des Refuses by John McDonald

The Sydney Morning Herald

3 August 2016

Disparate Visions by Lenny Ann Low

The Sydney Morning Herald, Metropolitan

12-13 July 2003

Brush notes by Sebastian Smee

The Sydney Morning Herald

22 November 1996

Queering reason's pitch by Jaques Delaruelle

The Sydney Review

August 1995

Save us from perfection by John McDonald

The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum

24 September 1994

The Sydney Review by Jacques Delaruelle

Chalk and Cheese - The Sydney Review

October 1993

Arts review by Christopher Allen

Arts, The Sydney Morning Herald

24 September 1993

GALLERIES by Felicity Fenner

Arts, The Sydney Morning Herald

3 December 1993

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