McWhinnie Exhibition Catalogue 2014

An Exhibition of New Ceramics and Paintings by

Ian McWhinnie

Applause!

Ian McWhinnie is a graduate of Glasgow School of Art.

He taught ceramics in schools for many years before taking early retirement in 2002 to concentrate on his own artistic development.

Initially he drew figurative designs on hand thrown vessels before turning his painterly skills to oil on board. His distinctive and slightly unnerving paintings have met with great critical acclaim since his first solo exhibition at the Castle Gallery in 2005. In 2006 he won the Millers Prize and in 2011 The Joe Haargan Award and the Art Framing Award, all at the Paisley Art Institute.

Collectors of his work will appreciate this exhibition of paintings and new ceramics. He says: “This show at the Castle Gallery marks a return to ceramics after a fair number of years. It has taken a while to get comfortable with the new kiln and having worked with an old kick wheel the new electric one took a bit of getting used to. It has been something of a challenge at times but one which I have found worthwhile and rewarding.”

His ceramics are made from a slightly grogged white earthenware clay which is decorated with underglaze colours and various oxides and then finished with a transparent, low-solubility glaze.

All the work is fired to 1060 degrees centigrade. He creates hand-built and wheel thrown pots, vessels and plates which are transformed with the addition of hand-painted figures depicted in various scenarios. His subject matter is taken from a range of ideas including performers, the circus, musicians and images from his travels in France, the U.S. and Italy.

Prices for ceramics and paintings £165 to £500.

The entire exhibition can be viewed on the Castle Gallery’s website at: www.castlegallery.co.uk

Cover: The Applause Dish Large Dipped Dish 26(l) X 6(d) cm

The Black Jug Plate Medium Plate 25(l) X 21(w) X 3(d) cm

Small Footed Dishes From left to right

Portrait Dish IV Small Footed Dish 16(l) X 6(d) cm

Portrait Dish I Small Footed Dish 17(l) X 8(d) cm

Portrait Dish II Small Footed Dish 15(l) X 7(d) cm

The Juggler Plate Large Plate 37.5(l) X 4(d) cm

The Red Dress Plate Medium Plate 25(l) X 18.5(w) X 3(d) cm

Siennese Portrait Oil on gesso board 20(h) X 23(w) cm

Window Plate Medium Plate 23(l) X 22(w) X 4(d) cm

The Face Plate Medium Plate 22(l) X 22(w) X 3(d) cm

Six Bowls Clockwise from top left

The Seagull Bowl Large Flared Bowl 11(h) X 24.5(w) cm

The Players Bowl Bowl in Black & White 6(h) X 19.5(w) cm

Girl with Gull Bowl Large Flared Bowl 10.5(h) X 23(w) cm

The Voyage Bowl Large Flared Bowl 10(h) X 23.5(w) cm

Faces & Flowers Bowl Bowl 6(h) X 20.5(w) cm

Flower Girls Bowl The Gambling Man Bowl Medium flared bowl from two different viewpoints 9.5(h) X 20.5(w) cm

Bowl 7(h) X 22(w) cm

Bowls

Sisters Bowl Small bowl from two different viewpoints 8(h) X 13.5(w) cm

The Circus Rider Bowl Straight sided bowl from two different viewpoints 14(h) X 15.5(w) cm

The Musician Dish Large Dipped Dish 29(l) X 28(w) X 5.5(d) cm

The Piano Man Oil on gesso board 28(h) X 20(w) cm

Jars

Three Jars From left to right showing two different viewpoints

The Audience Jar Small Jar 13(h) X 11.5(w) cm

Spectators Jar Small Jar 15(h) X 10.5(w) cm

The Castle Wall Jar Small Jar 12.5(h) X 11(w) cm

The Blue Hills Jar Small Jar 14(h) X 10(w) cm

Three Jars From left to right showing two different viewpoints

Edge of Town Jar Small Jar 15.5(h) X 9.5(w) cm

Sunlit Hill Jar Medium Jar 14(h) X 9.5(w) cm

Winter Woods Jars Small Jar 14(h) X 10(w) cm

Carcassonne Pot Large Pot from two different viewpoints 19(h) X 17.5(w) cm

The Minstrel Oil on gesso board 23(h) X 20(w) cm

The Dark Colleen Oil on gesso board 28(h) X 20(w) cm

The Green Dress Plate Medium Plate 26(l) X 21.5(w) X 3.5(d) cm

The Farewell Dish Large Dipped Dish 28(l) X 26.5(w) X 5(d) cm

The Garden Oil on gesso board 23(h) X 20(w) cm

White Flowers Oil on gesso board 23(h) X 20(w) cm

Back Page: Yellow Flower Dish Triangular Dipped Dish 23(l) X 5.5(d) cm

City Wall Portrait Dish Large Dipped Dish 28(l) X 5(d) cm

IAN MCWHINNIE 1952 1970-1974 1975-2002 2002

Born Glasgow Studied Drawing and Painting at Glasgow School of Art Taught in Glasgow secondary schools, specialising in ceramics Set up his own studio workshop and began work as a full-time, professional artist

EXHIBITIONS Since 2002 Ian has exhibited throughout the UK in galleries and at art fairs. The Castle Gallery in Inverness was the first gallery to realise his potential, to offer him an exhibition and to take his paintings to art fairs. He has also shown with Cambridge Contemporary Art, the Leith Gallery in Edinburgh, Eton Applied Arts, the Gatehouse Gallery in Glasgow, the Red Rag Gallery in Stow-onthe-Wold and Wilson Davis Fine Art at Bridge of Weir.

AWARDS 2004 The Morton Fraser Award, Visual Art Scotland 2006 Millers Prize, Paisley Art Institute 2011 The Joe Haargan Award and the Art Framing Award, Paisley Art Institute PRIVATE COLLECTIONS Ian’s paintings and ceramics are in collections worldwide including the U.K., U.S.A., Italy, Argentina, France, Spain, Switzerland and Australia.

Applause! Ian McWhinnie 15th Mar - 5th Apr 2014 Castle Gallery, 43 Castle St, Inverness, IV2 3DU www.castlegallery.co.uk 01463 729512