John Plumb was an English abstract painter who emerged in Britain after World War II.
Plumb was born in Luton in 1927 and sudied at the Luton School of Art (1942–5), the Byam Shaw School (1948–50) and the Central School (1952–5) under Anthony Gross, Victor Pasmore, Keith Vaughan and William Turnbull. While studying in London, Plumb married Joan Lawrence, a long-time close friend.
Plumb's works reflected his admiration for American Colour Field painting and hard-edge painting. In the mid-1960s Plumb produced paintings with large fields of a single colour; with narrow strips on the edge of different colours intended to optically enhance the emotional impact of the central, major, and usually intense hue.
His works have been displayed in numerous exhibitions including the A.I.A. abstract exhibitions (1953 and 1957), the ‘Situation’ exhibitions (1960 and 1961) and 'Art & the 60s: This Was Tomorrow', Tate Britain (2004). Solo exhibitions have been held throughout the UK, including the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol (1967), London Arts Gallery (1970), Bohun Gallery Henley-on-Thames (1995 and 1997) and The Atkinson Gallery (Somerset 2002).
Plumb had an exensive teaching career, culminating in the appointment of Senior Lecturer in Painting at the Central School of Art and Design, London from 1969-1982. After retiring from teaching, he relocated to Yarnscombe, north Devon.
