In 1971, with a new studio, I began painting and exhibiting with the raw enthusiasm of a newly graduated student of The Glasgow School of Art and like all graduates of the painting school I was desperate to develop an artistic career. The experience was, and remains a difficult balancing act between discovering influences, inspiration, motivation, finding ways of navigating the world of exhibitions, selling work and perhaps making a living.

There followed a decade of prolific work, exhibiting with the Glasgow League of Artists, and other group shows, the high point of that period being a one-man show in the Third Eye Centre in Glasgow (now the CCA). This was a measure of success and achievement, but teaching Art in school and colleges still put bread on the table.

In an effort to break free, it was in sport, and then in the creative industries that provided that living – teaching skiing, illustrating, writing, graphic design and taking on new digital technology of the day. Ultimately still creative, but painting and exhibiting was overtaken.

Now, after three decades of that alternative creative activity, it was time to return to purpose driven and personal artwork, with the desire and compulsion of that early commitment still alive. 

This site is about new work created since 2012, however, there's an obvious missing link in what might have been a long list of exhibitions and artistic achievements over a thirty-year period. In an effort to bridge that gap the Timeline section below adds some perspective to this.