Staffordshire born, in Rushall, in 1932, & brought up in Harborne, Birmingham, through the 2nd World War, JS was educated at King Edwards School, Birmingham, and then studied painting under B.Fleetwood Walker RA at Birmingham College of Art (BCA).
Following National Service, as an instructor in the R. Signals, returned to BCA to study ceramics, following which, he was appointed to their full-time staff, as a lecturer on the new, innovative, 3D design, degree programme, in 1960.
1962 awarded 1st Anglo German porcelain design bursary,- chair of judges, Sir Kenneth Clark, - worked on designs at Lorenz Hutchenreuther porcelain factory, Selb, (W) Germany, summer 62.
1962 invited to exhibit individual stoneware pieces, made in own basement workshop, at Heal’s in London.
1962 awarded first public commission, to design & produce a large cut tile mural for one of 5 marriage rooms in a newly converted Registry Office in central Birmingham.
Mid 60’s -early 70s undertook large scale architectural commissions, in ceramics, mosaics & shuttered concrete - Keighley, Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield, Stoke on Trent & Cheltenham.
1966 invited to Staffs [then Stoke College of Art] to join their new 3D design degree programme
1969 moved to Stone, Staffordshire
1973 awarded Goldsmiths’ Company travel bursary -3 months tour of major porcelain factories in
W.Europe prior to British entry into the Common Market
1981 appointed Head of Department of Fine Art at [now] Staffs University - until 1991
1988 awarded University sabbatical - 3 month visit to major Fine Art Depts, & to see Public Art work & procedures in USA
1991 elected FRSA
mid 90s - 2006 appointed part time lecturer, history of 19th/20th C painting, & short courses, at Wedgwood memorial adult education college, Barlaston
1998 -2006 assisted with life drawing programme at Frink School of Sculpture, Tunstall
Exhibits Midlands & North, & rarely, London
2006 retrospective exhibition at Keele University Gallery
2008 major show with 2 sculptors at the Orangery Gallery, Holland Park, London
Member of MAFA, (Manchester Academy of Fine Art)
2011 awarded Ist prize at Keele University, 3 Counties Open exhibition, for a figure painting.
2012 Duke of Devonshire purchased 6 recent Peak landscapes, painted on location, (approx50 x 70 cms), for Chatsworth, following an exhibition of work at the Dovedale Festival, in summer 2012
Presently, painter/printmaker with studio in Stone, Staffordshire