About the Artist

Collage and Me

As an artist who values conscientious application as a prerequisite for creativity, collage is an ideal medium. Alter/change/adjust/correct/revise; a satisfactory conclusion builds through practice. The collage is built from the history of its own making.

Collage encourages and facilitates risk-taking and intuitive making, free of indecision, procrastination and fear of failure. Work don’t think. Stop, reflect. Think don’t work. Work again.

My collages evolve from quick line drawings, inspired by simple, visual triggers in my immediate environment; light falling on a wall, cast shadows, open doorways, mirrors and their reflections, frames within frames, familiar landscapes. I am not trying to make an image of what I see but turn what I see into a collage. Accurate local colour imitation is inconsequential, I want to find colour combinations and relationships that work. I keep a store of coloured papers mostly created from left over paint from my palette. These are stored mostly according to hue but also by value.

There is no preplanning or drawing out a composition. I generally begin with large pieces of colour, quickly blocking in the main elements, creating a scaffold/structure. The collage goes where it wants to go, led by the most recently applied piece of coloured paper. The initial drawing and my visual memory are just launch pads. I have no interest in accurate rendition, just making improvised arrangements to express something which will be found as the work progresses.

Biography (Abbreviated)

Education

PGCPSE Strathclyde University

Edinburgh College of Art BA(Hons) Drawing and Painting

Residencies

2014   Vermont Residency Centre, USA

2012   Schwandorf Residency, Germany

2010   Hospitalfield Alumni Residency, Arbroath

Artita, Piran, Slovenia

2007   Artist in Residence, Grizedale Forest

Scholarships/Awards

2017   Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow Award. RGI

2016   Shortlisted for W. Gordon Smith Painting Prize

2011   Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow Award. RGI

2010   Jolomo Painting Prize, Joint Third Prize winner

1997   William Grant and Sons Ltd. Charitable Trust Prize, Paisley Drawing Competition Prize

1980   Patrick Allan Fraser Scholarship, Hospitalfield, Arbroath

Collections

Scottish Arts Council, BBC, Hospitalfield Trust, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow, Jolomo Foundation

Various private collections in Britain, Canada, Hong Kong, USA and Germany

Additional

2016- 2019 RGI Council member

2015- 2019 PAI Committee member, artist member and Hanging Convenor,

Vice –President 2018-19

2013 Visiting Lecturer, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, New York and Venice programme

2003-2004 Assistant Professor of Painting, NSCAD University. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

2004 Part-time lecturer, Glasgow School of Art

1989-2021 Lecturer, North Glasgow/Glasgow Kelvin College

1986-89 Part-time lecturer, Cardonald College, Glasgow

Founding member of Transmission Gallery, Glasgow and committee member 1983-85

Artists Representative on the WASPS Studios Board, 1987-95

Organising Committee of the Scottish Young Contemporaries, 1984

Guide, British Art Show, 1984

Film, 6 Painters, Life’s Rich Tapestry, 1987

Exhibitions Assistant, Third Eye Centre, Glasgow 1983-90

1981-2006 Studio in WASPS, King Street, Glasgow