Born in Bideford, Devon, in 1941, John Cooksley grew up in a London suburb. He attended the Kingston-upon-Thames College of Art and Goldsmiths College of London University. Having qualified as a professional painter and teacher, John Cooksley worked as an art therapist in a psychiatric hospital for five years and then moved into specialist art education in a secondary school. In 1990 he gave up teaching to devote himself to full time wildlife painting. He has exhibited at prestigious venues all over the country, showing paintings which have been worked from first hand experience in the field.

John Cooksley spends hundreds of hours a year collecting information from which paintings are freely composed. Though primarily a wildlife artist, he also occasionally delves into other artistic areas. John Cooksley is a keen runner and has completed more than 20 marathons, including seven London marathons, mostly in under 3 hours. He has also undertaken a two-day backpacking mountain marathon and two runs of 40 miles and over. He lives in a thatched cottage in the middle of one of the most beautiful areas of the English countryside and is married with two grown up children.

Framed picture Barn Owl by John Cooksley