John Shotton (JS) Parker graduated with First Class Honours from Christchurch’s Ilam School of Fine Arts in 1966 and worked as an art teacher while continuing to paint during the 1970s. In 1975 he was the Frances Hodgkins Fellow at the University of Otago. He became a full-time artist in 1977 and painted prolifically until his last illness in 2017. He was awarded the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002. His works continue to be exhibited across New Zealand with a substantial collection held at Marlborough Art Gallery.

Image: JS Parker with a self portrait at the Millennium Public Art Gallery.