The Art of John Borrack
Celebrating The John and Gillian Borrack Federation Bequest
The John and Gillian Borrack Federation Bequest was generously donated to the City of Whittlesea by John and Gillian Borrack in 2001. This video includes interviews with John and Gillian and a presentation by the artist explaining his work.
Read more about John's inspiration, work and connection to the local landscape below.
Copyright City of Whittlesea © 2003
The work of John Borrack
John Borrack is recognised as one of Australia’s finest landscape artists. His work invites us to look at and reflect on the history and transformation of our ancient land.
Through 40 paintings created over 40 years, this significant collection is both a record of human intervention in the Plenty Valley region and an insight the artist’s stylistic development between 1961 and 2000.
This collection is also a human story of an artist who dedicated his life to observing the landscape and interpreting it. Borrack’s paintings depict his affinity with the land and the moods of nature, painted in watercolour and gouache en plein air (meaning ‘painted outdoors’).
John Borrack’s deep connection to the Plenty Valley region stems from his ancestral roots. His mother, Augusta Caroline Borrack, was a descendant of the Ziebell family; pioneers who established the Ziebell Farmhouse in Thomastown in the 1850s.
The artist’s childhood experiences of country life and exposure to the beauty of the land were firmly imprinted in his memories and visual sensibilities, providing him with a lifetime of rich subject matter to explore in his art.
You can view some of John Borrack's works in the foyer and outside Council Chambers at our Civic Centre in South Morang.
The Edge of Development
The Edge of Development is a documentary produced by John Doggert-Williams and supported by the Whittlesea Creative Communities Fund in 2020, featuring an interview with John and Gillian Borrack.
View the other parts of The Edge of Development documentary
Discover more of John Borrack's art
Find out more about John Borrack by visiting the artist website, or follow his work on Instagram.