Background

John has been painting for many years. He has always had an interest in images, pictures, pen and paper. From an early age he read and made works of art and later started exhibiting his works. He has exhibited in Germany, Melbourne and at the art societies where he is a member, namely the VAS (the Victorian Art Society) and at WAG (the Woodend Art Society).

John has been sharing his art not only by exhibiting and his website (www.jvdreest.com) but also by teaching and talking about art. He ran a community program – for which he got funding from the Macedon Ranges Shire Council - and named it: Dabblers’ Delight.

John shows a wide field of interests in his painting. He usually does not work to a theme, but believes that all of life and nature shows something of God’s goodness and grace. Exceptions perhaps are the four painting on Jonah the prophet. These painting are semi abstract in nature. He likes his paintings to be a reminder of the paces he visited in Europe, Germany, Belgium (Brugge), France (Paris), Portugal (Lisbon) and many places in England and the Netherlands. You will find these themes in many of the paintings.

John has been fortunate to sell much of his art. So far, he has been able to sell his works at a reasonable price, because for John painting is a hobby, rather than having to make a living out of his art. He enjoys his art and finds it relaxing. He now also produces art cards, which are a reflection of his art.

In his teenage years, after WWII, John migrated with his family to Australia, a journey he experienced as a great adventure. Six weeks on the boat, throwing coins to divers at Port Said, the Neptune ceremony on the Equator and the flying fish, are still vivid memories.

John has had many teachers. Barbara Mc Manus from VAS was his instructor in pastels and early oils. Nel Frysteen and Annie Finkelde were watercolour teachers. Gregory Smith had a great influence on his style of painting, by teaching him the tonal realism, which John implements in his paintings. Lately John is working on his own to develop his own style and genre. Seeing he is now fully retired, John  hopes  to run an art class in 2019 in watercolour and oils at WAG.

You can contact John by email: jvdreest@bigpond.com.au

Art Group Memberships

John is a member of the Victorian Artists Society and the Woodend Art Group.