Art Brokerage: John Stobart was born in Leicester, England on December 29, 1929. Raised by his maternal grandmother and various housekeepers, he showed an early aptitude for creativity but a lack of interest in academic learning. His low grades but apparent flair for drawing persuaded his father to enroll him in Derby College of Art in September, 1946. It was later in 1965, that John Stobart first visited the United States with four paintings of sailing ships, carefully wrapped up in brown paper and tied with string, under his arm. Stobart established Maritime Heritage Prints, Inc. in 1976 feeling that the highest quality of production could only be assured if he himself remained in control. Believing in the importance of regular communication with collectors of his prints. While continuing his popular series of paintings of the historic ports of America, Stobart has, since 1987, returned to the practice of painting contemporary outdoor subjects whenever possible. It is within this field of effort that John Stobart believes every landscape painter's ultimate contribution lies.