George Gillespie was born in Belfast in 1924. He was a self taught painter and only decided to paint full time in 1976 after retiring from his business.

His first exhibition was in the Oriel Gallery, Dublin in 1979, where he held one man shows for a number of years. He also exhibited regularly at the Coenbridge gallery and the James Gallery until his death in 1995.

His main influences for his landscape paintings were Frank McKelvey, James Humbert Craig & Maurice Wilks.