John Wells (1907-2000)
John Wells was a highly respected painter of abstracts in oils and mixed media, and maker of relief constructions. Born in London, Wells trained as a doctor in University College Hospital, learning to paint at evening classes at St. Martin’s School of Art. From 1936 to 1945, he worked as a GP for the Scilly Isles, but after the Second World War, decided to pursue a full-time career as an artist. At that time he settled in Newlyn, Cornwall, and became closely involved with the renowned artistic community at the nearby town of St. Ives. Co-founder of the Crypt Group and the Penwith Society, he worked with Hepworth from 1950-1951 and exhibited regularly in London, the provinces and abroad. Represented in the Tate Gallery, his restrained geometric abstraction was influenced by Gabo, Nicholson and Hepworth.
