Corbidge attended school in Glasgow and later in Elstree, London, where visits to local film studios sparked his imagination. He studied at the Sheffield College of Arts (1944) and the Sheffield College of Arts and Crafts (1951), where he was influenced by former Prix de Rome scholar Eric Jones. His tutor’s passion for Italian art left a lasting impact on Corbidge’s artistic style.
In 1956, Corbidge earned a Fine Art degree and moved to Italy. He lived and worked in various locations, teaching painting in outdoor classes during the summers in central Italy. He gained recognition for his art and began exhibiting in important group shows alongside renowned artists.
In 1960, Corbidge held a one-man show at the Gallery Antares in Rome, garnering praise from Italian art critic Michele Biancale. Following this, Corbidge exhibited in Cyprus, where he also executed mosaics and bas-reliefs in Limassol. He held numerous one-man shows and participated in group exhibitions across Europe and the United States, earning critical acclaim and establishing himself as a prominent artist.
In 1965, Corbidge settled in Athens, Greece, and became deeply inspired by Greek music, poetry, and folklore. He held several one-man shows in Athens and Nicosia and designed theatre sets for an American repertory company.
During the Greek Military Junta in 1968, Corbidge returned to Cyprus, where he held a one-man show at the Hilton, Nicosia, and decided to settle permanently in 1969. The Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 led to the loss of his home and studio, but he continued creating art, focusing on the Cyprus tragedy in a series called “Bitter Sun.”
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Corbidge held numerous one-man shows in Italy, focusing on the Cyprus tragedy and raising awareness about the conflict. He also created murals, stained glass, and stone-incised murals for public buildings in Cyprus.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Corbidge continued to exhibit his work in Cyprus, Germany, and Greece. His final exhibitions took place in Nicosia at the Apocalypse Gallery in 2003. Before his death, Corbidge completed a series of frescoes at the All Saints Church in Cape Aspro, Pissouri, Cyprus, which remains open to visitors.
Throughout his career, John Corbidge pursued a powerful, personal vision in his art, avoiding compromises and maintaining his artistic integrity. His work can be found in private and national collections worldwide.