The Scottish Borders, where I have lived for over thirty years, are a constant inspiration whatever the season as are frequent visits to south Brittany and the Mediterranean coasts of France and Spain providing me with a totally different palette and of course that special quality of light.
The sketchbooks give me the information for the 'start' of a painting and from one sketch can come several paintings or from several sketches only one painting. The translation from sketch to painting allows for experimentation and development with colour, line and form which can lead to an element of risk or edge to creep in thus eliminating some of the often irrelevant information contained in an 'on the spot' sketch.
To embark on a days painting with a large sheet of paper, bristling brushes and good light, is always an exciting prospect if not a slightly apprehensive one as the end result could end up in the bin or with luck, in a frame. The 'don't know' element 'the sleeping surprise' (as Robin Philipson called it) is always there, the trick is to recognise it.
Born 1946
Educated James Gillespie and Boroughmuir Edinburgh.
1966 - 70 Edinburgh College of Art - Studied Ceramics and Glass Design
1970 - 71 Postgraduate Scholarship in Ceramics, Travelling Scholarship to Italy
1971 - 72 Moray House college of education and part-time teaching
1973 - 86 Lecturer in Ceramics, Glasgow School of Art
1986 Full-time Potter and Painter
2000 Full-time Painter
2000 Elected member of Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour (R.S.W.)
2007 'Artist in Residence', with James Morrison RSA, Collioure, France
2015 Sir William Gillies Award - RSW Annual Exhibition
2017 Glasgow Art Club Award - RSW Annual Exhibition
One Man Exhibitions
2017 - 16th - 30th September, "Autumn - Winter - Spring" Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh
2016 - April, Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh
2014 - Edinburgh Festival Exhibition, Dundas St Gallery, Edinburgh
2013 - Finlay Grant Gallery, Melrose, Scotland
2012 - Edinburgh Festival Exhibition, Dundas St Gallery, Edinburgh
2011 - Castlegate House Gallery, Cumbria
2010 - "Impressions de Paris" French Institute, Edinburgh
- "Horizons" Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh
2009 - The Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh
2007 - Broughton Gallery, Peebleshire
- " Artist in residence" Charles Rennie Macintosh Society, Collioure, France
- The Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh
2006 - Castlegate House, Cumbria
2005 - Walker Gallery, Harrogate
2004 - Collyer Bristow, London
2003 - Lesconil, Brittany, France
2002 - Stenton Gallery, East Lothian
2001 - Chambers Institute, Peebles
2000 - Lillie Art Gallery, Milngavie
- The Atholl Gallery Dunkeld Perthshire
- The Stenton Gallery East Lothian
1999 - The Scottish Gallery Edinburgh; The Tolquon Gallery Aberdeenshire
1998 - Broughton Gallery Peebleshire; Nancy Smillie Gallery Glasgow
1997 - Stonegate Gallery York; Stenton Gallery East Lothian; Castlegate House Cumbria
1996 - The Scottish Gallery Edinburgh
1994 - Macaulay Gallery Stenton, East Lothian; Castlegate House Cumbria
1993 - Gatehouse Gallery Glasgow; Traquair Peebleshire
1992 - Broughton Gallery Peebleshire; Highland Printmakers Inverness
1991 - Crawford Arts Centre St. Andrews, Fife
- Peter Potter Gallery Haddington East Lothian
1990 - Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh
1989 - Scottish Craft Centre
1987 - Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh
1986 - Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh
1984 - Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh
1982 - The Scottish Gallery Edinburgh
1981 - Linz Austria
1979 - Broughton Gallery Peebleshire
- Henderson Gallery Edinburgh
1978 - Compass Gallery Glasgow
- Campbell & Arnott Planter Exhibition, Edinburgh
1974 - Scottish Craft Centre; Salzburg Festival Austria
