Who are John and David and why do they make a great team?

• Who is John Dyer?

  John Dyer has been the artist in residence at the Eden Project in the UK from the year 2000 to the present day. He was made a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society by the world’s greatest explorer of the 20th century Robin Hanbury-Tenison. He is one of Cornwall’s best known and acclaimed contemporary painters and has been appointed as the artist in residence for many organisations, celebrities and events around the world.

  In 2009 John was made the artist in residence for the ‘Darwin 200’ celebrations and did a series of work in the Zoo as well as overseas in Peru. John is the UK’s leading ethnobotanical artist and has painted the world’s three main staple food harvests for the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), including rice in the Philippines for the United Nations year of rice, potatoes in Peru for the United Nations year of the potato and the banana and cacao harvest in Costa Rica.

  In 2018 John was honoured with a major retrospective exhibition of his work at Falmouth Art Gallery in Cornwall, part funded by the Arts Council. As part of his retrospective the book, ‘Painting the Colours of the World’ was commissioned. The book details the artist’s life and work including all of his environmental projects and paintings.

  In the words of Alan Titchmarsh: “John is an artist who reaches the parts that many other artists cannot.”

  And singer Toyah Willcox adds:
  “John’s brave use of colour and broad truthful brushstrokes make a direct hit on the retina.”

  John’s most recent community art project work has been with the Eden Project, Survival International and Nixiwaka Yawanawá, an indian from the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. The ‘Spirit of the Rainforest’ project engaged well over 1000 children from all over the world to connect with tribal culture through art.

• Who is David Ashe?

  David Ashe is a technologist and educator. Trained as a Mathematics teacher, David has taught at Primary, Secondary, FE and University levels. After working with a number of technology companies, including Apple Computer, he returned to University to write a PhD which investigated the ways individuals (focusing on Upper-Primary and Lower-Secondary school students) learn and how personal connections can enable deeper understanding. David describes himself as a ‘Learning Scientist’; that is, someone who is constantly learning and someone who continues to research how people learn.

  Over the past 7 years, David has conducted ‘Continued Professional Development’ courses for in-service teachers; here are what some schools/teachers have said about the courses:

  • “The workshop was extremely worthwhile. I now need to regularly implement what we have learnt”
  • “Fantastic link between research and practical uses. Lots of ideas presented in a short time. David was a great presenter – entertaining, enthusiastic and extremely knowledgable. Thank you for a great day.”
  • “Very engaging and made the theory component accessible and relevant to the practical.”
  • “Extremely worthwhile… Thank you so much for opening my eyes.”
  • “The whole workshop was engaging and very worthwhile. I finished the day with a much clearer understanding… One of the best Professional Learning sessions I have ever attended.”
  • “I found it interesting to learn what the research has concluded,,. I found this workshop to be very beneficial.”
  • “Just wanted to thank you for organising David Ashe last week. He was so inspiring and motivating … The session has been the talk of the school for the last few days! He is a great presenter. I completed a school survey during our admin meeting today and have received very positive results and over 95% of teachers want him back again next year!!”

  David is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Sydney, has worked with The Teacher Enrichment Academy and will be presenting his latest research paper at The International Conference of the Learning Sciences in June 2018.

  Further details about David can be found at: Dr David Ashe – Research Fellow

• John and David's Adventures

  David and John have known each other for over 20 years. Their friendship brings with it a connection of the worlds of science and art.

  They have embarked on a number of ‘adventures’ over the years which have included visiting remote places such as the jungle of Costa Rica where they did battle with flora and fauna which, they assumed, was ‘out to get them’. 

  John and David share a common concern about the planet. While both families try to tread lightly and to live in a reasonably sustainable way, they both feel they need to do more. ‘Last Chance to Paint’ brings together their very unique skills. John refers to it as his last chance to paint – and in a very real way this is true – today, the white rhino is about to become extinct, others will follow. David talks about the project being the last chance to experience, to study, to interact and to discover; through John’s art, he hopes to enable people (especially school children), wherever they are, to make personal and deep connections with our fragile ecosystems.