Inverness-born Iain graduated with a Master’s Degree in Fine Art from the Open College of the Arts in 2016 and now exhibits in selected galleries throughout the UK. His work has also been
on show in the Mall Galleries in London and in 2020 he won the Visual Art Open Award with his painting Indignant II. He currently lives and works from his home studio in Quothquan by Biggar.

Iain’s work is shaped by the enduring fascination with the human form, often portraying his subjects as contemplative lone figures. From his initial candid observations, he expands upon their pose and physicality in the studio, often using his models to recreate a narrative. Blending realism with abstraction, he uses oils on canvas to create vibrant multi-layered artworks that are both structured and immediate.

 

"I started out as a graphic designer working in the advertising/design industry, eventually becoming a freelance designer.  During this time, I attended evening life drawing classes at Edinburgh Art College and in 2006, I began painting again.  I exhibited my work for the first time in 2009 and decided to undertake a degree in 2013, graduating in 2016 with a Master’s Degree in Fine Art and beginning a career as a full time artist.  In 2020, I was the overall winner in the Visual Arts Open Award.  I now exhibit with nine galleries throughout the UK.

 

I do get feedback from galleries where paintings have been shipped to eg. Europe, USA and Australia.  I have also shipped paintings myself to Germany, USA, Hong Kong and Australia.  

 

Covid. I am first and foremost a figurative artist but during the lockdown and with restrictions on travel, I was unable to source figurative references.  To be able to keep painting, I looked to other subjects such as still-life and animals, hence the horse portraits.  Painting animals is still of interest but once the lockdowns were lifted, I returned to my main body of work which is themed figurative paintings based on street life, swim, action, and studio narrative portraits."