Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man I went to Paisley Grammar School. The teachers quickly realised that I was not academic, because the only thing I was interested in was art. The school accepted that and didn’t push me to study. They always encouraged my art. I never took my school leaving exams. All I wanted to do was to start work as an artist as soon as I possibly could. The board of the Glasgow School of Art decided to admit me even though I was too young according to the rules. The Glasgow School of Art was an extraordinary place to be a student. I was privileged. Even the building itself is a masterpiece, and I realised as soon as I entered it that it was a kind of cathedral to art. It was a happy and interesting time. I learned about art, and also about life. I picked up a lot from watching artists work, probably more than I did from the teachers, though some of them were very inspiring. alexander goudie
* 2. Life Study Female Nude, 1954 pencil on paper, 43 x 31 cm
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