Last updated: 27 October 2026
John Walker is the Birmingham-born abstract painter who has spent more than 20 years painting the coast of Maine. Here you will find our take on his work, his recent shows and where to see and buy it.
Our take on John Walker
Walker’s career started early: a Harkness Fellowship took him to New York in 1969, and he represented Britain at the 1972 Venice Biennale, according to Messums. He was nominated for the Turner Prize in 1985.
For the past two decades his main subject has been coastal Maine, where he lives, according to Caldbeck Gallery. The Boston Globe critic Cate McQuaid put it this way: “One thing has remained constant: his delight in the elemental quality of paint.”
In London his work is handled by Messums, which paired new works on paper with drawings from 1969 in 2024.
John Walker: the essentials
- Born in Birmingham in 1939; lives and works in South Bristol, Maine, according to Caldbeck Gallery.
- Studied at Birmingham College of Art, the British School at Rome and the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris.
- Represented Britain at the 1972 Venice Biennale, won the John Moores Painting Prize in 1976 and was nominated for the Turner Prize in 1985.
- Taught at Boston University from 1993 to 2015, where he led the graduate painting and sculpture programme and is now Professor Emeritus.
- His work is in collections including Tate, the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
John Walker exhibitions
- On now: Lois Dodd John Walker / Two Friends Painting, Caldbeck Gallery, Rockland, Maine, from 2 October 2026.
- Summer show, Caldbeck Gallery, Rockland, Maine, 1 to 31 August 2025.
- Working on Paper, Messums London, 28 Cork Street, 4 September to 5 October 2024.
- New Work, Alexandre Gallery, New York, 29 April to 23 June 2023.
Where to buy a John Walker painting
We found no prints or editions on open sale.
- Paintings and works on paper: by enquiry through Messums in London. Prices are not published.
John Walker FAQs
Where is John Walker from?
Birmingham, England. He was born there in 1939 and now lives in Maine.
Was John Walker nominated for the Turner Prize?
Yes, in 1985.
What does John Walker paint?
Large abstract paintings, and for the past two decades the coast of Maine.
Where can I buy John Walker’s work in the UK?
Through Messums in London, by enquiry.
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Main image: John Walker, Ripple, 2017. Courtesy the artist and Ikon Gallery. Framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates and prices last checked: 27 October 2026.
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