John Harvey was born in Plymouth in 1935. After an initial career in printing and commercial art he studied at Camberwell School of Art and Crafts in London (1975-78) and then for a follow-up year at Brighton Polytechnic (1978-79). Subsequently he taught art at a Cornish school before retiring early to concentrate on his own painting.

He now lives in Penzance, drawing from the wide range of subjects around him. Most of his paintings are completed on the spot and, combined with drawings, frequently become studies for larger studio paintings.