Ewart Johns (1923-2013)

Ewart Johns was a Welsh artist whose creative practice spanned decades, from his early years in Barry to his time in Cambridge, London, and Exeter. His passion for drawing, painting, and the broader arts shaped both his own work and his academic career. In 1972, he became the founding head of the new Visual Arts department at Lancaster University, where he played a pivotal role in arts education. By the 1980s, he had returned to Devon - first to Exeter, then to South Brent - to fully dedicate himself to his own artistic pursuits. Alongside painting, Johns engaged in theatre production, design, writing, and music, yet his primary focus remained the exploration of line, form, and colour in his visual art.

In 1986, in collaboration with Ian Gordon and the Psychology Department at Exeter University, Johns documented his creative process in a video, offering insight into his artistic philosophy. This video, recorded in his studio, captures his reflections on art and his distinct approach to composition.

A Body of Work Defined by Bold, Rigorous Hues and Intertwining Forms

A pioneer of expressive line and colour, Ewart Johns created a body of work defined by bold, rigorous hues, and intertwining forms. His figures, often seated in the studio draped in vivid, patterned fabrics, were translated onto paper, canvas, and board as expressive strokes of pigment. For Johns, line was more than a tool for representation - it was an expressive force in itself.

"Line can be very expressive…"

~ Ewart Johns, Studio Visit (1986)

This belief in the power of line shaped his distinctive style. Though rooted in the modern era, his work reflects a deep awareness of artistic tradition. In his Studio Visit video, he references Renaissance masters such as Raphael and Giotto, artists who redefined the role of line in visual storytelling. Johns, in his turn, pushed this legacy forward, using line and colour to evoke the energy, movement, and mood of his own time while remaining faithful to the fundamental structures of form and expression.

Auction Details

Tuesday 15 April, 10.30am BST
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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Please note that there will be no viewing available at Donnington Priory for this auction. Viewing is online only, however all items are comprehensively described and illustrated. Condition reports are available on request if not already provided.