About John Garde

Born in Melbourne in 1949 and raised in Adelaide, John Garde has spent more than six decades observing, teaching and interpreting the Australian landscape through painting..

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From an early age, drawing was his greatest passion. While schoolwork rarely held his attention, he knew that creating art was what he wanted to do. At fourteen, John moved to Sydney, where he attended Manly Boys' High School before continuing his studies at Seaforth Technical College. There he developed a strong foundation in drawing, design, painting, printmaking and ceramics, learning the principles of observation and composition that continue to underpin his work today.

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At seventeen, John moved to Perth to study portraiture from his father, Owen Garde, one of Western Australia's most respected portrait painters. Owen's work includes portraits of Perth's mayors and the historic First Sitting of Parliament, which remain in the collection of Parliament House, Western Australia. Under his father's guidance, John refined his understanding of portraiture, tonal painting and studio practice while developing his own artistic voice.

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Following his father's encouragement, John completed teacher training at Claremont Teachers College before beginning his teaching career in regional Western Australia. He taught for six years in Morawa, followed by Kelmscott and Cannington, before joining Methodist Ladies' College (MLC) in Claremont in 1978. As Head of Art for eighteen years, he inspired generations of students while maintaining an active professional painting practice.

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Light has always been at the heart of John's work. Whether painting landscapes, riverscapes, seascapes, portraiture, still life or abstract compositions, his aim is never simply to record a scene, but to capture the atmosphere and harmony through light. His paintings have been exhibited throughout Western Australia and are held in public and private collections across Australia and overseas.

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After leaving full-time teaching in 1996, John relocated to Dunsborough, where he and fellow artist and wife at the time, Sue Berghuis-Garde established Tinkahill Studio & Gallery. Together they exhibited widely, conducted workshops, mentored emerging artists and led painting tours to France and Italy. In 2007 they made Bridgetown their home, inspired by the beauty of the Blackwood Valley and its vibrant artistic community.

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In 2018, while leading an art tour in France, John became seriously ill with a rare neurological condition that dramatically affected his mobility. Throughout months of treatment and rehabilitation, drawing once again became a source of purpose, resilience and healing. During his recovery he produced dozens of portraits of doctors, nurses, therapists and fellow patients, a powerful reminder of the enduring role art has played throughout his life.

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Today, John continues to paint from his Bridgetown studio. While his health now requires him to work differently than in the past, his passion for painting remains unchanged. With his driver's license recently restored, he hopes to return to the landscapes that have inspired him for decades, while once again teaching workshops and encouraging others to discover the joy of observing and painting the natural world.

 

As John writes:

"I am inspired to paint when I observe a subject in its most atmospheric light. There is no prescription used to create the final image. As in nature, the relative unity of tone, form and colour allows the evocative illusion in paint to evolve."