John O'Brien (marine artist)

[3] He emerged as a self-taught artist in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1850 and advertised himself as a professional in 1853.

[2] In 1857, he studied in England with the English landscape artist John Wilson Carmichael, where he learned to colour photographs as well as to paint stormy skies.

His journey, which also included time in France, was paid for by a group of Halifax business owners.

[3] Upon his return to Halifax, the artist began documenting the increasingly busy naval activity of the city's growing harbour.

[3] His career flourished as Nova Scotia's shipping industry grew and his many notable paintings include a portrait of the famous clipper Stag and dramatic storm portraits of the warship HMS Galatea.