John Arthur Dees (1874-1959)

John Arthur Dees (1875-1959) - an amateur landscape, cattle and portrait painter in oil and watercolour. Dees was born in Newcastle and studies at the School of Art Gateshead winning gold medals in 1895 and 1896 but decided on a carer in commerce. He first exhibited at the Bewick club where he gained a reputation for his landscapes. He became friendly with a number of artists including John Atkinson. He exhibitd at the Artists of the Northern Counties exhibitions from their inception in 1905. He first exhibited outside the north in 1911 at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours and in 1913 sent the first of two works to the RA. He exhibited throughout his life in the north and is represented at the Laing Gallery, Newcastle and the Shipley Gallery Gateshead.