Christine McArthur 1st – 17th April 2014
T H A C K E R AY G A L L E RY E ST. 1968
Rothko’s R A I N BOW and other paintings. For me, every exhibition takes it own shape. Not at first, but at some point it changes into something that has its own life and its own personality and hopefully its own magic. I have heard authors say that their characters start to dictate to them. I have the same experience with each painting and with each group of paintings. That’s what happens. I can’t help it. I don’t like talking about art and I hate artists’ statements even more. To me that is cold language like a manifesto or a policy. But I could tell you about each individual painting without any trouble. About the sparky moment when it changes from being a board or canvas with paint and torn paper to something else with a life of its own. It can happen in a second by a bit of colour or texture changing the whole course of the thing or by a piece of music I am listening to or by somebody saying something on the radio or me remembering something from the past or imagining something in the future. It is always a sharp emotional experience that changes everything. At that point there is an real urgency to work on the painting and everything else is a nuisance to me. So, that is what each painting is about. Sheer emotion. If that isn’t there in the work, the work is no good to me. I destroy a lot of paintings because they don’t have it. If this all sounds very mysterious, it is to me too, but I hope not pretentious. It is the truth. Just think of when Peter Pan sprinkles the fairy dust and the Darling children can fly. That’s about it. I want to feel that the paintings could fly away if they wanted to . . .
My Perfect Day acrylic on watercolour paper 15x21cms (5.5x8ins)
Plinth with Dark Fruit mixed media on board 76x76cms (30x30ins)
4
Rothko’s Rainbow mixed media on board 76x92cms (30x36ins)
6
Like Daisies, Like Sunflowers mixed media on board 100x100cms (39x39ins)
8
A Winters Picnic mixed media on board 76x92cms (30x36ins)
10
Winter Window with six Pots mixed media on board 100x100cms (39x39ins)
12
Fifteen Pears & Chrysanthemum Tea mixed media on board 76x76cms (30x30ins)
14
East Wind mixed media on board 100x100cms (39x39ins)
16
A Painting for a Quiet Person mixed media on board 75x100cms (29.5x39ins)
18
Snap II
Snap VI
oil on board
oil on board
12.5x12.5cms (5x5ins)
13.5x13.5cms (5.5x5.5ins)
Quails Eggs II acrylic on watercolour paper 15.5x15cms (6.5x6ins)
22
The Nijinsky Strawberries mixed media on board 76x92cms (30x36ins)
24
Sunflowers with two Pompom Chrysanthemums mixed media on board 76x76cms (30x30ins)
26
Strange Sun mixed media on board 76x76cms (30x30ins)
28
Hotel Luna Tulips III oil on canvas 66x66cms (26x26ins)
30
Sunflowers, Grain Rice Vase mixed media on board 100x100cms (39x39ins)
32
BIOGRAPHY Christine McArthur was born in Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow in 1953 and studied at The Glasgow School of Art between 1971 and 1976, which included a post-diploma year. After graduating she taught and produced book illustrations until the demand for her work enabled her to paint full time. Her early work was primarily in oil and she became well known for her large scale still life paintings on canvas. In the late 1980s she began to work in oil pastel and watercolour but more recently she has reverted to oil, as well as acrylic and collage. Christine McArthur was awarded Scottish Education Department travelling scholarships in 1975 and 1976 and was elected a member of the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts in 1990. In 1995 she was elected a member of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour. In 1997 John Lewis commissioned four large murals – each 6ft x 15ft – for the Glasgow store in 1999. In 2002 she received a commission from John Lewis for murals for the extension to their Peter Jones store, Sloane Square, London. In 2009 she resigned from the RGI and the RSW.
solo exhibitions
1994
Roger Billcliffe Fine art, Glasgow
1995
Thackeray Gallery, London
1996
Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh Roger Billcliffe Fine Art, Glasgow
1997
Courtyard Gallery, Crail
1998
Roger Billcliffe Fine Art, Glasgow
1999
John Martin of London
2000
Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow
2001
John Martin of London
2002
Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow
2003
John Martin Gallery, London
2004
Gertsev Gallery, Moscow Gertsev Gallery, Atlanta, USA Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow
2005
Lemon Street Gallery, Truro
2006
John Martin Gallery, London Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow
2007
Lemon Street Gallery, Truro New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
1984
Peter Potter Gallery, Haddington
1986
Sue Rankin Gallery, London
1988
Sue Rankin Gallery, London
1990
Fine Art Society, Glasgow Sue Rankin Gallery, London
2008
Roger Billcliffe Gallery
1992
Portland Gallery, London Roger Billcliffe Fine Art, Glasgow
2010
Lemon Street Gallery , Truro
2011
Ainscough Gallery, London
2012
Lemon Street Gallery, Truro
2014
Thackeray Gallery, London
1993
Ancrum Gallery, Roxburgh Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
awards S.E.D. travelling scholarship 1975, and 1976. Arts Council Award 1979, and 2004. Glasgow Soc. of Women Artist’s Trust Fund Award, Lauder Award; R.G.I., N.S. Macfarlane Award; Alexander Graham Munro Prize, RSW.
collections include Lord Irvine of Lairg; Scottish Arts Council; Glasgow Caledonian University; Arthur Anderson; Scottish Nuclear PLC; University of Strathclyde; Amerada Hess Corporation; Craig Capital Corporation; Lillie Art Gallery, Milngavie; Argyll Group PLC; United Distillers PLC; Clydesdale Bank PLC; Macfarlane Group (Clansman) PLC; Royal Bank of Scotland PLC; Export & Import Bank of Japan; John Lewis Partnership plc (Glasgow, Nottingham, Edinburgh & Peter Jones, London); Gertsev Gallery, Moscow; Gertsev Gallery, Atlanta, USA; Pernod Ricard; Edinburgh Tapestry Company.