He studied at Hammersmith School of Art 1947-1954 and Royal College of Art 1956 -1960.

John Mills works mainly from his studio in Hertfordshire creating his ideas for his next major work of art for clients worldwide. He prefers working initially from drawings, later producing a small studio bronze maquette and finally to Life size Bronze.

Teaching
Various part time posts in UK 1958 - 1962. Senior Lecturer St.Albans School of Art 1962-1970.
Principal Lecturer Hertfordshire College of Art and Design 1970-1977. Visiting associate Professor, University of Eastern Michigan. Visiting Lecturer Detroit School of Creative Arts 1970. Visiting Professor and Artist In Residence, University of Michigan. Stopped teaching on a regular basis 1977. Made Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors 1982. Elected President of the Society 1986. Made Fellow of the RSA 1993.

Exhibition History
ONE MAN EXHIBITIONS
Held one man exhibitions on a regular basis since 1959, including shows in London and other cities in the UK, Canada, USA, France, Australia and Germany.
A.I.A. Gallery, London 1959.
Madden Galleries, London 1964.
Letchworth City Gallery, UK 1965. Oakdene, Digswell 1965.
Kenmore Galleries, Philadelphia 1966.
Hitchin Art Gallery, UK 1968 1971 1977.
Pollock Gallery, Toronto 1969 1971.
Lantern Gallery, Michigan 1970 1971 1972 1974.
Alwin Gallery, London 1975 1977 1979 1983. University of Michigan Gallery 1980
Alice Simsar Gallery, Michigan 1976 1979 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1989.
Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney Australia 1980. Chapman Gallery, Canberra Australia 1989 1990. Beaux Arts Gallery, Bath, UK 1988.
Marina Henderson Gallery, London 1983.
Kings Street Galleries, London 1986.
Jonathan Poole Fine Art, Woodstock, UK 1989 1990. Surrey University Gallery, UK 1993.
Woodlands Gallery, London 1994.
Jonathan Poole, Compton Cassey 1996.
The Whitby Gallery, UK 1999

MIXED EXHIBITIONS INCLUDE The Royal Academy, London since 1951. Young Contemporaries 1951-1958 Zwemmer Gallery, London; Glasgow Institute of Fine Art; Scheafer Gallery, New York; Piccadilly Gallery, London; Bradford City Art Gallery, UK; Graven Image London 1961. International Print Show, Michigan 1970 Festival of Barjac, France 1969.
‘The Face of Man', Whitechapel Gallery, London; Arts Council UK; Gallery 359, Nottingham, UK; Hallam Gallery, London.
‘Head Hands and Feet', Margam Sculpture Park 1990. RBS exhibition at Scone Palace, Scotland.
RBS Art in Action, UK 1992.
RBS Woodlands Gallery, London 1992.
RBS Exchange Court, Broadgate, London 1993 Abergavenny, South Wales ‘Sculpture in a Garden' 1992. Chelsea Harbour ‘93',
London. RBS Sculpture at Osterley House, London 1995. Cities 97. Chelsea Harbour 1997 Pieces of Eight, LCA Albermarle Gallery, London 1997 Chelsea Art Club, London 1997.
Simmons Gallery, London ‘Free Range' 200 Jonathan Poole, Compton Cassey, UK 2000
ICAS - Vilas Fine Art - Letchworth Garden City, UK since 2001

Commissions
Commissioned work includes work done for Sea Containers, P&O Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, The Royal Institution, Rank Xerox, Wansbeck DC, Waite Development, Westminster City Council.

Corporate and Private Collectors
Includes Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, The London Firebrigade, The City of London, Nuffield College, Oxford-UK, Chicago Institute of fine Art, University of Michigan Museum of fine Art, The Sherwood Collection UK, The Chemiakin Foundation Collection, USA,Harlow Art Trust UK, Clark University, USA.

Works in Public Places
William Blake Memorial - Blake House - London, UK
Blitz - The National memorial to the firefighters who died during World War II, - Old Change Court, St. Paul`s London, UK.
London River Man - Isle of Dogs, Docklands, London
Family Outing - Thames Centre, Newton Acyffe, Northumberland.
Brother - University Hospital, Ann Arhor, Michigan, USA.
Swimmers - Cambridge Swimming pool, Cambridge, UK
St. George - Windsor Court Hotel, New Orleans.
Thoughtful Girl - Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
National Memorial to honour Women in the Second World War unveiled by Her Majesty The Queen on
9th July 2005.