COMP CLOSED | Book Giveaway | Skippers Canyon

A collection of paintings and sketches by John Gillies, interspersed with personal and historical notes, feature in this stunning book.

Skippers Canyon is an artist’s paradise and one of New Zealand’s most stunning locations. This historic and scenic gorge, carved out by the Shotover River in Queenstown’s back country, has been a favourite destination and inspiration for artist John Gillies for some forty years. His love of Skippers and the challenges it presents is illustrated in this beautiful collection of paintings and sketches interspersed with personal and historical notes that mark John’s frequent journeys to this remarkable part of Aotearoa New Zealand.

“Whatever I had experienced in my journey so far, a moment of sheer glory was revealed from Campbells Saddle. There before me, Mt Campbell took visual command with its servants, the Branches Flat and Shotover River, obediently nestled below. This majestic scene I will never forget and instantly, I knew that for me, it would become my tūrangawaewae, my spiritual home.”

About the Author

John Gillies attended the Otago University Medical School. He graduated MB, ChB in 1972 and a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1981, becoming clinical director of respiratory medicine for the Canterbury District Health Board.

During his medical career, John maintained an active art interest and in 1977 held his first exhibition at Abernethy’s Gallery in Dunedin. Many exhibitions followed with a sell-out at the Village Bygones in Christchurch in 1994. John has conducted master classes in palette knife painting in Christchurch, Ashburton, Oamaru and Brisbane and was invited as judge for the Ashburton Society of Arts annual exhibition in 2013. John’s art has appeared as feature articles in The Artist (UK), The Australian Artist and in Artist’s Palette.

In 1989 John established the New Zealand Association of Artist Doctors with the aim of fostering creative activities among doctors. Now its annual shows include art and craft displays, individual performers, small groups and a fifty-piece orchestra. In 2006, John retired to become a full-time artist and in the following year produced his first book, In My Chair, which featured sixty-four portraits of Cantabrians.

John’s interest in Skippers Canyon was ignited during a visit on his honeymoon but it wasn’t until forty years later that he started to collect the landscape paintings and sketches which feature in this book. In this publication, John devotes a chapter to his palette knife painting technique which he developed in order to bring the unique texture and definition which readily identify his work.

To read an article John has written exclusively for GrownUps, click here

Terms and conditions

1. 1. You must be a GrownUps member and receive our newsletter to be eligible to win.
   2. Competition closes on the 17th October 2023, winners will be notified via email by 19th October 2023.
   3. It is your responsibility to ensure you correctly enter a New Zealand postal address where the prize can be couriered. GrownUps will not take responsibility for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
   4. Winners are drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
   5. GrownUps employees and family are not eligible to enter.
   6. By entering the giveaway, you approve for GrownUps to use your name on social media as winner of the competition.
   7. One entry per household.
   8. Prize is non transferrable.
   9. You must reside in New Zealand – the prize will only be posted within New Zealand.
   10. You must be over 50 years of age to enter, check your details are correct in your membership dashboard.