John Pendray was born in London in 1937. After graduating from St Martin's School of Art he became an art teacher in London. For eleven years, John has taught painting, sculpting and pottery, until he met his wife, Michèle. In 1971 they moved to Marseille, his wife's hometown, where they still live today.
In France, John worked as a designer in graphics, sign posting, architectural perspectives and marine architecture. Among his most distinctive achievements are sculptures and frescoes for the French gas and electricity companies GDF and EDF, the mural paintings of the nuclear power station in Tricastin, France, the graphism of Marseille's subway stations Gare St Charles, Rond Point du Prado and Noailles and the sign posting of the Festival Palace in Cannes.
A passionate sailor, John has brought back to life the traditional Mediterranean boat "Bette marseillaise".
But as busy as he may have been, John has always painted. His love for sailing naturally drew him towards marine paintings and his deep knowledge in marine architecture could only add to his artistic talent. As the nineties went by, John exhibited his work all around Europe. Among others, the First Prize in Trégastel (France) Watercolour Contest 1992, the exhibition in Hyères 1992 and in the Salle Pleyel, Paris 1997, the successive exhibitions in Christie's, London 1994-95-96, and in the "Musée de la Marine", Palais de Chaillot, Paris 1993-96-97-98-99, have brought John to the artistic foreground.
In July 2001, John Pendray was appointed "Peintre Officiel de la Marine" (official painter in the French Navy).