MR. JOHN GIBB.

Otago Witness, Issue 2545, 24 December 1902, Page 23 (Supplement)

MR. JOHN GIBB.

This veteran artist is a native of Scotland, and his pictures of "Life on the Ocean Wave" — sea and sky, still sunset, water with bright lights reflected in it; or grey, stormtossed barques in greater or less danger — are familiar to all art lovers in the colony. Mr John Gibb was born in Dumbartonshire in the year 1831. He early showed a love of drawing, and was permitted, nay encouraged, to develop this natural taste, his interest being stimulated by regular visits to the art exhibitions in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Greenock, where he learned to appreciate the work of other men, and set up an art standard for himself. . Later on he removed to, and settled down on, the Firth of Clyde, where he had every opportunity of studying sky, sea, and shipping, as well as the land scenery of mountain and gorge ; and here he worked hard, as all must who desire proficiency in any pursuit, and here, too, he had the benefit of studying in the studio of the late John M'Kenzie, a prominent Scotch painter. Art schools were not then so common as they are now ; nor was the task of the neophyte made quite so easy for him in any walk of life ; so our young artist had to work hard with little help and encouragement, but he persevered, and in time became a regular exhibitor at most of the exhibitions of the leading Scottish art societies, where he achieved a fair measure of success. But the spirit of adventure natural to a Scot, and the stories that reached him of the beauty and prosperity of our Southern Britain, induced him to leave his native country and embark for New Zealand. In 1876 he reached Christchurch with his family, and there he has remained ever since, following his chosen profession with steady industry worthy of example and admiration, and which bids fair to make him the rival of the fine old English paniter, Sydney Cooper, R.A., who last year executed several fine paintings at the age of 96 ; and also G. F. Watts, R.A., who, at the age of 84, is still producing some of the finest creative work of the day. If this is a " young man's era," as some have said, it must be confessed that it will not be without difficulty that they hold their own against such veterans as these.