One of Derby’s most renowned professional artists is selling off a unique gold-dust archive of his original work as he prepares to wave goodbye to the city of his birth.
John Straw, a man who has painted around 3,000 original pictures in a career spanning more than 50 years, is leaving Derby at the age of 79, accompanied by his wife of 55 years, Jill, to be closer to family in Warwickshire.
And that means bidding a fond farewell to their Mickleover home of 53 years, complete with art studio, as well as hundreds of paintings, sketches and prints accumulated over a lifetime. They are expected to make thousands of pounds at Hansons Auctioneers in June.
John, who has suffered with Parkinson’s Disease for the last 10 years, said: “We’re downsizing to be near our daughter and grandson. We just can’t take it all with us. There are so many paintings and sketches.”
John, whose work is displayed not just in Derbyshire houses but all over the world as well as on calendars and magazine covers, is auctioning off more than 50 original framed paintings – many featuring his home county. Derbyshire-inspired artworks include View Towards Wirksworth, Overfields, Brailsford, Chestnut Trees, Beresford Dale, and Lane to Alstonefield.
He is also parting with a few unframed original paintings, including Woodland Walk, Markeaton; framed and unmounted prints; 12 international calendars featuring his art, a Crown Devon plate bearing a painting of Quarndon and five sketch books containing pencil portraits of around 200 well-known politicians and celebrities – except Donald Trump.
“I did sketch Donald Trump but an American wanted to buy it off me. I ended up giving it to him,” said John.
The pencil sketches are like a who’s who of politics and popular culture and include everyone from Elvis and Angela Merkel to James Dean and Amy Winehouse. Another fun offering are six hand-painted dinner party menus and cartoon-style pictures of John’s Mercedes transporting chickens the couple looked after for a friend.
John said: “It’s been wonderful to do what I love best throughout my life and I hope people will enjoy having the opportunity to buy work I’ve treasured for years.”
John, who was born in Derby in 1943, loved drawing and painting from when he was a child. In 1968 he had his first experience of exhibiting and selling his work at Studio 5 in Chellaston, owned by fellow fledgling Derbyshire artist Jean Goodwin. His first solo exhibition in 1975 was in Derbyʼs Guildhall foyer, a successful venue for several years.
Demand for his work increased and in 1978 he became a full-time professional artist, saying farewell to a somewhat mundane life in accountancy. He exhibited at galleries throughout the country as well as in his native Derbyshire.
His paintings were inspired by the natural world, especially birds, animals and Derbyshire landscapes. Initially he made his name as a bird artist but his depiction of the countryside made his landscapes his foremost subject. He loved to paint lesser known and appreciated countryside between Derby and Ashbourne in all seasons.
In 1980, after a sudden exhibition cancellation, he held his first ever art show at his Mickleover home studio. It was a huge success and these events continued until 2006.
“We held three shows a year,” said Jill, a retired directorate manager. “They were sociable events and John enjoyed talking to his clients as much as selling his paintings. His commission book was always full afterwards.”
In addition, John sold his work at craft fairs across the country including events held at Derbyshire’s Buxton Pavilion, Kedleston, Calke, Elvaston and Derby Assembly Rooms.
His burgeoning career led to the production of limited-edition prints, commissions from International Calendars & Gifts to provide calendar art and requests to feature his art on magazine covers. A snowy sunset picture of Derbyshire’s Wingfield Manor made the cover of Derbyshire Life’s Christmas issue in 1983 and his work featured on eight Country Images magazine covers.
Jill said: “John retired from being a full-time artist in 2006 but continued to paint for pleasure and to undertake occasional commissions. However, in 2012 he was diagnosed with Parkinsonʼs Disease and for a time gave up painting because of the severity of his tremor.
“This gradually improved with medication and a fellow Parkinsonʼs patient persuaded him to try painting again. To his delight he found he had far better control with a brush than with a pen and so began another phase in his career.”
In 2015 and 2016 he submitted work to the Parkinsonʼs Disease UK Mervyn Peake Awards and had work exhibited at London’s Kings College and at the OXO gallery on the South Bank. His painting of three sparrows in 2016 prompted the charity to ask him if he would paint a Christmas Robin for their Christmas card catalogue. This proved so popular he’s designed a Christmas Robin card for Parkinsonʼs every year since. The 2022 card will be available from July and will also be produced as a jigsaw.
He said: “As age and health issues have crept up, Jill and I have taken the difficult decision to move nearer to our family in Warwickshire but we’re are taking many happy memories of Derbyshire life with us. I’d like to say a huge thank-you to everyone who has enjoyed my art and made life in the county so special for us both.”
John Straw’s Art Collection will be sold in the June 16-21 Antiques and Collectors Auction at Hansons Auctioneers, Heage Lane, Etwall, Derbyshire. Catalogues: www.hansonslive.co.uk and www.the-saleroom.com. To find out more, or to arrange a free valuation, email [email protected].
