Mr John Reilly.
A Ventnor artist, who was a significant figure in the world of religious art, died on Sunday, aged 81.
John Reilly, of Madeira Road, Ventnor, whose distinctive paintings have been shown at cathedrals around the country and are held in public collections across the UK, was born in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in 1928.
He spent his early childhood with his parents and four sisters in a house with river frontage on the Thames. All the family were keen dinghy sailors and raced regularly near their home at Kingston-upon-Thames.
During the Second World War, his family moved to Leeds, where his father ran a munitions factory.
Mr Reilly was educated in Leeds, before returning to Kingston after the war. He trained at Kingston College of Art before coming to the Island in 1954, for a seasonal job in Freshwater. There he met potter Jo Lester senior and became interested in pottery, setting up his first pottery in Niton.
In 1955, he married Elspeth Henderson and had two daughters, Kim and Jaki. Soon after Kim’s birth, the couple moved to Ventnor and set up Ventnor Pottery in Victoria Street but Mr Reilly later ceased most ceramic work to concentrate on painting.
In 1964, a BBC programme, Viewpoint, was made on his work.
His paintings, on Biblical themes, were in a style which echoed stained-glass windows. His work is on permanent exhibition at Gaunts House, near Wimborne, Dorset.
A book of his major paintings, entitled The Painted Word — Paintings by John Reilly, was published last year.
Mr Reilly is survived by his second wife, Jill, daughters, son-in-law, Nick, and grandchildren, Georgie and Toby.
He also leaves his sisters, Gillie Reilly and Pam Chase, and brother-in-law, Robin Chase.
There will be a service of thanksgiving on Monday at Niton Parish Church at noon.
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