EMINENT artist and Shoalhaven local John Downton has had a gallery at HMAS Albatross’s Fleet Air Arm Museum named in his honour.
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The John Downton Art Gallery is one of two art spaces in the museum, the other the Admiral Robertson Auditorium.
Collections curator Ailsa Chittick said the opportunity to name the gallery arose in February 2014.
“It was being used as an aerospace training room,” she said.
“When it was vacated in February last year we realised it could be done up as a gallery. Our manager asked me to come up with some names and I wanted someone non-navy.
“John is the best artist and a great supporter of the museum and the Fleet Air Arm Association.
“We like to refer to John as our official navy artist.”
Mr Downton was born in Sydney in 1939.
He took art classes at the Royal Art Society of NSW. He also studied privately under George Duncan and master artist Leonard Long, beginning his artistic career in the 1970s.
Known particularly for his landscapes, Mr Downton has since exhibited all over the world and won numerous awards.
He said he was surprised by the naming honour.
“You never think things like that are going to happen,” he said.
“I just put my head down and work like mad and these things just happen.”
