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ANNAN GALLERY
Meet the Scottish artist introducing ‘Biddies,’ ‘Belties’ and ‘Clyde Puffers’ to a global audience who over a 30-year career has gone from local to worldwide sales with his unique takes on Scottish life ...
A SCOTTISH artist is set to build on his incredible journey with the launch of an exclusive new exhibition at one of Scotland’s leading contemporary art galleries.
The Annan Gallery in Glasgow’s West End is hosting renowned artist Gordon Wilson’s only Solo Exhibition of 2024, ‘Catharsis,’ from 7th to 29th September.
Milngavie-based Wilson has become one of Scotland’s most recognised painters at home and abroad, winning a massive international following thanks to exhibitions not only in Scotland but London, New York and Hong Kong, as well as expanding his reach through his embrace of social media and an online following.
And his distinctive style and regular use of icons in his paintings, familiar to many of us who have spent time in Scotland, are introducing a global audience to Scots vernacular in the form of ‘biddies’ (an old woman), ‘belties’ (a Belted Galloway Cow), ‘puffers’ (an old coal-fired Clyde Puffer Boat) and smoking ‘lums’(a chimney).
Bright red poppies are also a strong feature of Gordon’s landscapes and he last year featured on the BBC showing Dame Judy Dench how to paint his poppies – red paint everywhere..
Our first reaction to Gordon’s paintings is often to smile at the almost absurdity of a biddy on a Puffer with a seagull atop her head but Gordon’s pieces are layered with emotion and they’re nuanced, colourful, bold and clever. There’s also pathos there - his biddies being a manifestation of a Scottish granny Gordon never knew or a mother or sister, lost yet venerated forever on canvas.
For Gordon, painting is his form of catharsis, hence the show title – a place where he uses his considerable painting talent to seek freedom from the rigors of day to day life. His studio is a sanctuary where the wider worries are forgotten and all are consigned to outside the studio doors.
Gordon, 58, said “It’s been over 30 years of toil to get where I am today. My first years as a self-employed artist I took work wherever I could but over the years, I’ve watched my career steadily grow with my collector base also expanding from a very local following to now having collectors all over the world. It’s a very humbling thought but something I’m incredibly proud of.
"I’ve always been a very driven artist and it’s this constant drive for success that keeps me pushing boundaries and experimenting. So it’s given me a huge amount of pleasure to paint this exhibition. I love dealing with Scott and Susan at the Annan Gallery, and I’m excited to see the work in situ. Viewing the work online is one thing, but the impact and awe of seeing the paintings on the wall is something to behold. I’m extremely proud of the body of work I’ve submitted.”
The Annan Gallery’s husband and wife owners Scott and Susan Bennett are delighted to be showcasing the work of such an eminent artist.
Scott Bennett said: “The Annan Gallery traces roots back to the 1850s and has always been a champion of Scottish Contemporary Art. Having worked with Gordon for many years, we’ve been delighted to watch his reputation deservedly grow and he’s now firmly established as one of Scotland’s top contemporary painters.
Scottish Art is incredibly strong and of extremely high quality, without necessarily commanding some of the sky-high prices you see in other international art-markets. So it’s perhaps for this reason international buyers have realised this and we’re increasingly shipping paintings abroad as well as within the UK.”
“Gordon’s work is unique and clients love the immediate quirkiness of his characters as well as his bright and vibrant landscapes. And we’re more than happy to explain to our international clients what a Biddy or a Beltie is.”
‘Catharsis’ a Solo Exhibition of Gordon Wilson’s new paintings, will be at the Annan Gallery, Glasgow from 7th to 29th September.
All Exhibition images can be viewed online at the gallery website: www.annanart.com
Contact the gallery at: gallery@annanart.com or call 0141 332 0028
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