John Croft CBE (1923 - 2026) painted for more than seventy years and had always had an interest in abstract expressionists such as Nicholas de Stael. His work can be found in the collections of Oxford University, Cambridge University, London School of Economics, Manx Museum Isle of Man, Reform Club London and London Borough of Camden.
Before painting professionally, John Croft was a civil servant who became Head of the Home Office Research Unit in 1972. During the Second World War he was recruited as a code-breaker and analyst at Bletchley Park.
While working at the Home Office he took up painting in oils and became a highly regarded abstract artist, focusing on “non-figurative, minimalist work derived from landscape”. His paintings were included in group shows from the 1960s onwards, and were described by the art critic Brian Sewell as “exquisitely judged, hard-edged abstracts”.
John studied at Oxford University, London University’s Institute of Education and the London School of Economics, obtaining his master’s degree. Had no formal art training and produced “non-figurative, Minimalist, work derived from landscape”. Participated in group shows at Piccadilly and John Whibley Galleries, at Camden Arts Centre in its survey of abstract artists in 1967, Bear Lane Gallery in Oxford in 1968, Covent Garden Gallery, 1973, Artspace Gallery in Isle of Man, 1990, and Newport Art Gallery, Isle of Wight, 1993. Had a solo exhibition at University of Sussex’s Gardner Centre in 1970, a year later at Warwick University. He was represented by David Simon Contemporary from 2016 - 2026.
