Title: Blue Vase
Size: 41cm x 36cm
Medium: Mixed Media on Paper

About the Artist


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