It was, of course, with a labrador painting that he won the silver medal in the International Animal Painters?competition in France. This is the only time his work has been put forward for a public exhibition and this only because Sally Mitchell entered the picture without his knowledge.

In 1996 he was featured in an article on leading dog artists in "Gundogs" magazine.

What few people know is that his amazing ability is not limited to painting dogs. His shooting scenes, river scapes and sea scapes all exude atmosphere. His Norfolk scenes and his Scottish Loch scenes each draw you into them and invite you to relax and become part of them.

John is a natural colourist with a great eye for composition and fell for atmosphere. These are qualities that have come from within and have not been influenced by art college. Indeed, the first time Sally Mitchell met John Trickett she asked if he had been to art school. He replied that he had. The second time she met him he was with his wife and Sally asked, on this occasion, which art school he had been to. His wife exclaimed, "Oh John, you didn’t say you went to art school! You were only there for a morning, you left at lunchtime!".

John has always been quite a character. He trained first as an accountant and then took the opportunity to play professional football. He still plays for a hobby, although he is now in danger of being overtaken by his son!

Many limited edition prints have been published after his work and have rapidly become collector’s items. He has collectors all over the world and his works hang in Japan, America, Australia and many European countries.