John Drawbridge began his career as a textile designer. Over a 50-year period he created over 200 limited edition mezzotints, etchings, drypoints and lithographs. John also worked in oil and watercolour, large public murals, printmaking and stained glass. His murals include the New Zealand House Mural in London (now housed at the Cotton Building at Victoria University Wellington), the Expo 70 Mural (rebuilt at the National Library of New Zealand), a 42 metre-long 4.8 metre-high mural in the Banqueting Hall in the Beehive (Parliament Building, Wellington) and John's 14 Stations of the Cross stained glass works at the Home of Compassion Chapel also in Wellington.

John's work is included in many international collections including in the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and in New Zealand in institutions such as Te Papa Tongarewa (Museum of New Zealand), the Auckland City Art Gallery and the Christchurch PublicArt Gallery.

John Drawbridge was also involved in education, teaching at Wellington Polytechnic School of Design from 1964 to 1986.

Dennis & Verna Adam, Wellington philanthropists, are deep admirers of John's work. On the occasion of Denis and Verna's receipt of the Arts Foundation Award for Patronage, they made a donation toward the comprehensive publication of a book on John's art. This Limited Edition Book John Drawbridge includes an essay by Dr Damian Skinner with contributions by Robert Macdonald and Tony Drawbridge. Copies are available for purchase through many book stores nationwide

John Drawbridge died 24 July 2005