Much of the imagery John draws on revisits childhood memories, particularly of playing amongst the apple trees and vegetable patch in his grandparent’s large Kent garden. Further knowledge came from gazing at illustrations in a small childhood book collection, chiefly from the Observer series and Ladybird Nature books.
These early experiences have left a lasting impression of the beauty and fragility yet resilience of nature. John considers nature’s point of view above mankind’s need to understand and control it which is often at odds with the natural world.
Dilnot studied Graphic Design at Canterbury College of Art, followed by Fine Art Painting at Camberwell School of Art in the early 1980’s. John focused on screen printing, exploring sequential imagery, which led to his first artists’ books.
He also made boxes at this time, which featured in his degree show installation. John’s box works have since become very collectable.
John has shown in many mixed and survey shows including the V&A Museum, Tate Gallery, RA Summer Exhibition, Cornerhouse Manchester, Bluecoat Liverpool and The National Trust. Solo shows include ‘Natural History’ at Rebecca Hossack Gallery, ‘In the Country’ with Southern Arts Touring and ‘Rural Views’ at Aytoun Gallery Manchester.
He has work in many private and public collections. Public collections include, Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate Library, British Library, Museum of Modern Art New York, Yale Center for British Art, Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, Royal College of Art Library, Winchester School of Art, University of Brighton and Hampshire County Council.
Born Margate, Kent
Education
1976-1979 Canterbury College of Art and Design, Diploma in Graphic Design
1981-1984 Camberwell School of Art and Crafts, Degree in Fine Art
1985-1986 Camberwell School of Art and Crafts, Postgraduate Printmaking
Commissions
2014 Yale Collection of British Art USA – one off boxes for their collection
2007 Tate Publishing - Christmas card design
2007 Crafts Magazine - book promotion
2007 Camden Council - trophy design and production
1998 Buckingham County Museum - Endangered Species cupboard
1996 Merseytravel - set of three environmental paintings
1995 University of Bradford - design and produce wallpaper
Awards
2017 Arts Council - research and development award
2009 Brighton Festival Award - Selector's Choice Overall Winner
2001 South East Arts Board - production award
1994 North West Arts Board - production award
1992 Merseyside Arts - production award
Solo Exhibitions
2018 OUT OF PRINT Bower Ashton Library UWE Bristol
2017 STICKS & STONES new paintings Frank Whitstable
2017 OUT OF PRINT R-Space Gallery Lisburn Northern Ireland -Book Retrospective
2015 NATURAL ORDER Cedarhurst Center for the Arts Illinois United States
2010 NATURAL HISTORY Rebecca Hossack Gallery London
2009 Cuttings Frank Whitstable
2003 Books Centre for Fine Print Research UWE Bristol
2000 Books Hove Museum and Art Gallery
1998 Country Fresh Buckinghamshire County Museum Aylesbury
1996 In The Country Southern Arts touring show
1995 Rural Views Aytoun Gallery Manchester
1995 To The Country Hope Street Gallery Liverpool John Moores University
1992 Night billboard poster project Liverpool
1991 Estate installation and bookwork Oldham Art Gallery
1990 Stock installation and bookwork 109 Charing Cross Road London
Fairs
From 2006 to 2012 I was represented by the Rebecca Hossack Gallery who took my work to many art fairs in UK. and worldwide.
I have participated in Chelsea Craft Fair and Origin and regularly participate in both The Small Publishers Fair, London Artists Book Fair and Brighton Art Fair.
For many years I had an open house exhibition during the Brighton Festival in May and at Christmas.
Selected Recent Group Exhibitions
2024 Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair
2024 Small But Mighty- RE Royal Society of Painter Printmakers - Bankside Gallery London
2024 Screen Print 2024, An international exhibition of screen printed work, Centrespace Gallery Bristol
2022 International Original Print Exhibition, RE Royal Society of Painter Printmakers - Bankside
Gallery London
2022 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
2021 Undersea Overland, Atelier Beside the Sea, Brighton. With Jo Riddell, Katie Mawson, Becky Blair
2020 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
2019 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition -2 artworks
2014 Of Green Leaf, Bird and Flower, Yale Collection of British Art USA
2012 Entomology, Lotte Inch Gallery,York
2012 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
2011 Cutting Edge, Mottisfont, National Trust
2011 Fry Art Gallery Annual sale
2011 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
2010 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
Survey Publications
Artists' Books Collection 2007 Winchester School of Art Library
Creating Artists' Books Printmaking Handbook Sarah Bodman A&C Black 2005
Artists Book Yearbook 1994-1995 (and onwards) Magpie Press 1995
British Artists Books a survey 1983-1993 Estamp 1993
Catalogue
In the Country catalogue and bookwork Southern Arts 1996
Natural History solo show catalogue, Rebecca Hossack Gallery 2010
Of Green Leaf, Bird and Flower, Artists' Books and the Natural World, Elisabeth Fairman, Yale Center for British Art New Haven, USA 2014
Press
Latest7 July 2009
The Blue Notebook April 2009
Artists and Illustrators Magazine November 2008
Telegraph Magazine 30 September 2006
Dwell October 2006
Printmaking Today Spring 2006
Book Works
Produced 62 editioned books to date since 1985
Artworks and Book Works in Public Collections
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Tate Gallery Library
The British Library
Royal College of Art Library
Manchester University Library
St. Martins School of Art
Chelsea School of Art
University of the West of England Library
Winchester School of Art
The Leicestershire Collection
The Whitworth Art Gallery
Edinburgh Central Library
Hampshire County Council
University of Bradford
University of Brighton
Buckinghamshire County Museum
Biblioteca Nationiale Centrale Florence
Humanities Research Center University of Texas at Austin
Special Collections U C San Diego California
Yale Center for British Art, New Haven USA
Museum of Modern Art New York
Cedarhurst Center for the Arts Illinois United States