MARINE ARTIST
On Saturday, Aug. 30, the Canadian Coast Guard recognized John’s 45 years of volunteer support to Marine Search and Rescue, much of which has been assisting the fishing industry.
See “Forty-five years volunteering on the Fraser“, the September 8, 2025 article in the Delta Optimist.
On the 4th June 2025 Mary and I flew to Ottawa for a special meeting with staff of the Royal Canadian Mint. Twenty years ago I started designing collector coins for the Mint and it was time to revisit the production area and see what changes have been made.
A detailed private tour of the Mint was set up so we could understand the changes since our last tour a few years ago. We also visited the Mint boutique and I was asked to sign a number of authenticity certificates for the silver and gold coins of mine they are currently selling. 
We also enjoyed interacting with visitors who were buying my coins “Tall Ships – three masted schooners” and wanted pictures with me as the designer. It was especially interesting to see how excited some very young children were as they listened very carefully to the stories I told.
A meeting was held with all the project managers who are the people who work with the artists to complete the designs for the coins. Mary presented a short power point presentation about my 20 years designing coins for them and included images of all of the 10 coins I had designed for them.
I then presented a list of ideas I was suggesting as possible new coins and it proved to be a most worthwhile visit for all concerned.
After our meetings at the Mint we toured the Bank of Canada Museum where I was able to study the development of coinage from early times to the present day.
This fascinating collection, shows coins, notes and items used as currency from all over the world and is very well worth a visit.
Following our stay in Ottawa we travelled by train to Toronto where we inspected a few galleries and then visited and photographed Toronto Islands and various vessels in the harbour.
The Royal Canadian Mint has released its latest set of new coins. The set includes two coins, one silver and one gold, with John’s artwork of a three-masted schooner. As noted on the Mint’s website “From the rigging details to the patent log towed astern, this historically accurate portrait captures the elegance of the three-masted schooner, a cargo vessel commonly used for coastal trade in the late 19th century and early 20th century”.
The Maritime Museum of BC in Victoria will be holding an exhibition of my work April 4–June 1, 2025. This will be, in part, a “retrospective” celebration of my work as my 90th birthday happens this year. The exhibition will feature works borrowed from collections as well as recent work still for sale.
Also featured will be examples of work during my days in architecture and design and even my first childhood attempts at marine art!!! Well, you have to start somewhere.
Mary and I hope you will attend and see my 81 year progress from ages 9 to 90!
In the fall of 2024 I completed a new work depicting the 30 foot yacht “Dorothy” built in Victoria in 1897, perhaps the oldest Canadian sailboat still sailing. Dorothy now serves as the Maritime Museum of BC’s sailing ambassador, recapturing the glory days of vintage sail. Follow this link to a recent award in honour of her superb rebuild by shipwright and fellow artist, Tony Grove and volunteers at the Ladysmith Maritime Society led by shipwright and Dorothy historian Robert Lawson.
“Dorothy” was the star at the 2024 Classic boat Festival in Victoria, showing off the skills of the volunteers who had spent so much time rebuilding her. Please follow this link to the Maritime Museum of BC to support her mid-life refit, ongoing summer operations, and endowment fund
The “Dorothy” painting will be viewed at my exhibition opening in April at the Maritime Museum of BC in Victoria. When sold, I intend to donate a portion of the funds to assist in “Dorothy’s” ongoing maintenance.
In 2024 I finalized a new work commissioned by clients who live on Bainbridge Island in Washington State.
They own a gorgeous 26’ yacht that was built in Denmark in 1938. A typical Scandinavian double ender, she was purchased from an owner in California in 2006. In 2013 it was decided to refit the yacht as it was beginning to really show its age. It was soon discovered that there was more rot than originally thought. In fact over the next 3 years Robert d’Arcy was the lead to rebuild and rerig her in Anacortes, WA.
We met the owners when they entered “Helma” in the Victoria Classic Boat Festival in 2022 for the first time, and their dear “Helma” took all the top festival awards including the public’s choice award and the best overall sailboat.
The painting shows “Helma” “Close hauled off Turn Point” (Washington) with Mount Baker in the background. They view the boat “as one meant to be sailed, enjoyed and incorporated into their lives” quote taken from a comprehensive article written about the boat and the couple in the prestigious “Wooden Boat” Magazine.
It was a great pleasure to carry out this commission for such lovely people. Thank you.
On December 14, 2024 John was one of 30,000 Canadians to receive the King Charles III Coronation Medal. He was honoured to receive it from the Honourable Carla Qualtrough on behalf of the Governor General, along with other members of her constituency. This is another medal awarded to John identifying his long service in Search and Rescue and his dedication to recording our contemporary and historic marine environment in his paintings.
Delta’s John Horton is among 13 new recipients of the Order of British Columbia the province’s highest form of recognition.
Lt. Gov. Janet Austin made the announcement on the 2020 BC Day holiday. Read more
