Get to know the artists
All the artists we work with have their own life story and it’s nice to learn a little more about the people behind the art..
Alexander Millar is a modern phenomenon. Virtually unknown until 2003 his humorous paintings have exploded on the art scene, most noticeably his paintings depicting flat capped men in a variety of poses. Born in 1960 in the little village of Springfield, 5 miles from Kilmarnock, his images reflect memories from his childhood. Although growing up in the 60’s, village life in Springfield was stuck in what seemed more like the 40’s and these images have been the inspiration behind our selection of prints.
Daniel Campbell Born in Glasgow in 1951, Daniel studied at Glasgow School of Art and Glasgow College of Building and Printing. After graduating he worked as an artist and lithographer in the printing industry. In 1995 he established his own studio and now exhibits in galleries throughout the UK. His work can be found in many private and corporate collections.
In 1996, after 17 years as a graphic designer, Graham McKean decided to commit himself totally to producing his oil paintings. Graham is presently registered as a self-employed artist, painting full-time from a W.A.S.P. studio at the harbour side in Irvine, Ayrshire. Graham McKean’s paintings have featured in numerous exhibitions and are increasingly appearing at the U.K.’s leading auction houses. His work has now become highly collectible and is held in prestigious private and public collections worldwide. Graham also supports a number of charities through events and auctions. A review by the late W. Gordon Smith (Art Critic, The Scotsman), described the work of Graham McKean as a cross between the painters John Byrne and Stanley Spencer, but with an “interesting bite”.
For as long as Lucas can remember she has always enjoyed arts and crafts but it wasn’t until she retired from teaching that she decided to pursue her love of painting. Special thanks must be given to artist Neil MacDonald whose classes she attended. His quiet and patient approach to teaching has been both inspirational and instrumental in her new career. Encouraged by friends and family she now regularly sell’s her through various galleries and exhibitions in Scotland.
Born in Fife, Scotland in 1951, Jack Vettriano left school at sixteen to become a mining engineer. For his twenty-first birthday, a girlfriend gave him a set of watercolour paints and, from then on, he spent much of his spare time teaching himself to paint. In 1989, he submitted two paintings to the Royal Scottish Academy’s annual exhibition; both were accepted and sold on the first day. The following year, an equally enthusiastic reaction greeted the three paintings, which he entered for the prestigious Summer Exhibition at London’s Royal Academy and his new life as an artist began from that point on.
Born in 1948 in Maryhill, Glasgow, John is one of Scotland’s most loved artists. He studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1967- 1971 and later commenced postgraduate studies and an education diploma from 1971-1973.
Sam Skelton was born in Glasgow in 1949 and began his career as a graphic designer. He studied at Glasgow School of Art and as demand for his paintings has grown he has concentrated on art full-time. Skelton’s subjects are nostalgic evocations of Scotland’s industrial past: working class heroes, a couple on a park bench, children at play, and groups of men in dark overcoats watching football. The influence of the great industrial painter J S Lowry is clear and Skelton’s paintings are suffused with the dark, low light of Scotland in winter often with the factory roof on the horizon line. Skelton exhibits in Glasgow, London and Dublin.
William Dobbie grew up in Glasgow where his artistic talent was recognised early – he won gold and silver medals for his work whilst still at school. Later graduating from Glasgow School of Art in 1977, he has gone on to achieve recognition throughout the UK and overseas, with his work featuring in private collections in the USA, Australia and the UAE. Dobbie was the official artist of the Tall Ships visit to Greenock in 1999, and has been commissioned to undertake work for various national charities and large companies as well as a top Scottish advertising agency.