John Wells: The fragile cell

I thought I should probably start this blogging business by talking about the name I've pinched for this blog!

John wells (1907-2000) was a doctor who trained in London, and attended evening classes at St Martin's school of art. After several years of hospital practice, he became a GP and moved to the Scilly Isles in the '30s, where he travelled between patients on a motorboat! He became friendly with the St Ives group of artists including Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson, and after the second world war decided on a career switch from doctor to professional artist.

Wells works in abstraction, starting from recognisable sources of nature and the Cornish landscape. I love the neutral colours and limited pallate, and the interaction between geometric shapes. A lot of his pieces also create a sense of space and movement. I find his work quite calming, and reminds me of home.

'The fragile cell' comes from the exhibition title of a John Wells retrospective at the Tate St Ives in 1998. I have the exhibition poster on my wall in my bedroom in my family home in Cornwall, and I can stare at it for hours. The title 'the fragile cell' has always appealed to me, it gets my imagination going. I find the story behind Wells' life and career just as captivating as his work. I find great comfort in the fact he was able to find room for both medicine and art in his life.

Learn more:
John Wells' obituary from the Guardian
John Wells collection from the Tate