John Nelson,contemporary Scottish art
John Nelson's modern Scottish paintings evoke his love of colour in landscape, seascape, still-life, figurative, abstract and semi-abstract work.

About My Work
"I produce paintings which I hope encapsulate my natural joie de vivre and love of colour.
Always suspicious of the archetypical, I work directly onto the canvas - no preparatory drawing and as something emerges, I follow and shape intuitively.
Ideas for my paintings come from a variety of sources although I am particularly drawn to the natural forms of land and sea."

John was born in Edinburgh, and studied at Edinburgh College of Art from 1962-1967 where he was awarded a number of painting and drawing prizes which included the Andrew Grant Scholarship. Ending his studies, a Post Graduate Travelling Scholarship took him to France, Holland and Belgium, creating opportunities for exhibitions in the countries concerned.

From 1971 to 1996 he was an Art Lecturer at Stevenson College, Edinburgh.
As an Edinburgh man he is proud to have been a member of 'The Glasgow League of Artists' and to have been elected chairman in 1975-76.
At various times he has been chairman of Livingston Art Foundation and the Craigmillar Festival Society.

Now living in the Scottish Borders he continues to develop his painting to his own exacting standards.

He has work in many private and public collections throughout the world.

EXHIBITIONS

 

1972-82

All Glasgow League of Artists Exhibitions in Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Canada

1974,1976

Edinburgh Festival and Jazz Proms Exhibitions

1975

Contemporary Scottish Art, Municipal Gallery, City of Edinburgh

1975

Arts Council Gallery, Belfast; Project Arts Centre, Dublin;  MacRobert Arts Centre, Stirling

1976

Third Eye Centre, Glasgow; "Drawn to Scale", MacLellan Galleries, Glasgow;  Keele University, Keele

1976

GLA/New '57 - joint exhibition, Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh

1977

"Clouds and Water", Calgary, Canada

1978

"Nelson & Shaw"- 2 person touring exhibition

1978

Kirkcaldy Art Gallery & Museum; Inverness Art Gallery & Museum;  Collins Gallery, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow;  Richard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh

1980

The Lanthorn Centre, Livingston

1983

"Nelson, Forbes, Shaw" - 3 person touring exhibition, Netherlands and Belgium

1985

Exposition Internationale de Peinture, Paris

1986

The Lanthorn Centre, Livingston; "Babbity Bowster", Glasgow

1988

Royal Glasgow Institute, MacLellan Galleries, Glasgow

1988

"Works on Paper",Contemporary Touring Exhibition, Netherlands + Belgium

1997

Exposition Internationale de Peinture, Paris

1998

Kumulus Gallerie, Maastricht; Holland Art Fair, The Hague;World Trade Centre, Amsterdam; The Art Centre, Valkenberg; Academy for Fine Arts, Bilzen, Belgium; Galerie Nestle, Paris; Gadiot/Rijbroeck Gallery, Amsterdam

2000

The Picture Gallery, Chambers Institute, Peebles

2002

Ipomal Gallery, Landgraaf, Netherlands; Meadows Fine Art, Beith; The Wynd Gallery, Melrose

2003

Aberfeldy Gallery, Aberfeldy; Worthyart.com, South Queensferry

2004

Aberfeldy Gallery, Aberfeldy; e-Gallery, Bearsden; Smokehouse Gallery, Eyemouth; Kinsman-Blake Ceramics, Kelso; Albany Gallery, Cardiff; Morningside Gallery, Edinburgh

2004

Queens Gallery, Dundee; Di Rollo Gallery, Edinburgh; Strathearn Gallery, Crieff; Arian Gallery, Galashiels

2005

Aberfeldy Gallery, Aberfeldy; Arian Gallery, Galashiels; Lemond Gallery, Bearsden; Jerdan Gallery, Crail; Morningside Gallery, Edinburgh; Red Rag Gallery, Stow-on-the-Wold

2005

Rowan Gallery, Drymen; Kinsman-Blake Ceramics, Kelso; Smokehouse Gallery, Eyemouth; Strathearn Gallery, Crieff; Roger Bilcliffe Gallery,Glasgow; Old Melrose Furniture Studio,Melrose

2006

Strathearn Gallery, Crieff; Aberfeldy Gallery, Aberfeldy; Rowan Gallery, Drymen; e-gallery,Bearsden; Smailholm Gallery,Kelso; Smokehouse Gallery, Eyemouth; Jerdan Gallery,Crail

2007

Strathearn Gallery, Crieff; Aberfeldy Gallery, Aberfeldy; Lemond Gallery, Bearsden; Fotheringham Gallery, Bridge of Allan; Pennel Gallery, Peebles

2007

BroughtonGallery, Broughton; Tartan Gallery, Edinburgh; Chapel Street Gallery, Innerleithen; Red Rag Gallery, Stow-on-the-Wold; Smokehouse Gallery,Eyemouth; Beltane Studios, Peebles

2008

Aberfeldy Gallery, Aberfeldy; Strathearn Gallery, Crieff; Lemond Gallery, Bearsden; Smokehouse Gallery, Eyemouth; Mellerstain House Gallery,Kelso

2008

Red Rag Gallery,Stow-on-the-Wold; Fotheringham Gallery,Bridge of Allan; Chapel Street Gallery,Innerleithen; Roger Billcliffe Gallery,Glasgow;Eduardo Alessandro Studios,Broughty Ferry

2009

Red Rag Gallery,Stow-on-the-Wold; Fotheringham Gallery,Bridge of Allan; Chapel Street Gallery,Innerleithen; Smokehouse Gallery, Eyemouth; Kinsman-Blake Ceramics, Smailholm,Kelso;

2009

Aberfeldy Gallery, Aberfeldy; Strathearn Gallery, Crieff; Lemond Gallery, Bearsden, Glasgow; Frames Gallery, Perth; Laurel Gallery, Edinburgh;Old Melrose Furniture Studio, Melrose

WORKS IN COLLECTIONS
Kirkcaldy Art Gallery & Museum; Scottish Hospitals Board; Strathclyde University; Lothian Regional Council; Borders Regional Council; Fife Education Authority; Lothian Education Authority; Scottish Arts Council. Many private collections in United Kingdom; USA; Canada; Europe; Africa.

COMMISSIONS

 

1978

Scottish Arts Council - Gable Ends, Glasgow

1979

City of Edinburgh - Mural for Herdmanflat Hospital, Haddington

 

 

FILMS

 

1975

"We're All Big Boys Now" - Sidartha Films

1982

"3 Artists" (Nelson, Shaw, Forbes) - R Forbes


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