artworks by George Donald RSA RSW
Born: Ootacmund, South India 1943
Graduated in Drawing and Painting from Edinburgh College of Art 1967-
post-graduate year and travelling scholarship 1968 – 9
Certificate of visual art education, Hornsey College of Art, London, 1969
Degree of Master of Education, University of Edinburgh 1980
George is a painter and printmaker whose world travels have given him an international reputation.
He trained at Edinburgh College of Art in the sixties before going to Hornsey College of Art, (at that time a centre for new thinking and radical ideas in visual education). Subsequently he took a postgraduate degree at Edinburgh University, examining the theory that underlies the practice of teaching art.
An enthusiastic traveler, he has drawn inspiration from cultures in such diverse countries as Mexico, China,Thailand, Japan and Australia
He has been visiting professor in USA,France, China, Japan and the United Arab Emirates, and inaugurated Master classes at Miro's print workshops, in Palma de Mallorca ,Spain
He has worked with the British Council in Korea and India and studied papermaking in USA with a SAC scholarship
He is currently Adjunct Prof in the School of Visual Art and Design, University of Central Florida where he teaches a course in Life Drawing and Anatomy there annually.
He is a visiting Tutor at the Prince’s Drawing School. London
George Donald’s early influences of the vivid colours, textures and patterns of his Indian childhood have remained indelible in his work, although the subject matter has evolved in response to dramatic Chinese landscapes, Japanese raked gardens Indian bazaars and the Australian outback.
Always there is a spirit of experimentation, private myth, and a search for new kinds of mark making
His work can be seen in public and private collections in UK and abroad, including the V&A, London, Aberdeen Art Gallery, CAC Edinburgh, Miro Foundation, Spain, University of Edinburgh, Leeds City Council, University of Central Florida, ICI, BBC
He is represented by the Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh, The Bohun Gallery. Henley-on-Thames, Edinburgh Printmakers, He exhibits annually at the Royal Scottish Academy and Royal Scottish Soc. of Painters in Watercolour
Exhibits annually in public and commercial Galleries in UK and abroad, since 1968
Appointed Lecturer in Drawing and Painting School Edinburgh College of Art teaching drawing painting and printmaking 1970 - 2000
Appointed Assistant to Vice Principal
Director of ECA Summer School
Director, Centre for Continuing Studies ECA
Visiting Prof./Tutor/artist (with British Council) in India, Korea, Japan,(with Miro Foundation ) Mallorca Spain
Lecturer in Art Departments in Universities in France, China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, USA, Dubai, Oman, Abu Dhabi
Elected Member of Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) and Royal Scottish Society for Watercolourists (RSW) for over 20 years
Elected Keeper of RSA in 2003 - present
External Examiner with Highlands and Islands University 2003-2007
Adjunct Professor in Anatomy and Drawing. University of Central Florida and F.I.E.A. Orlando Florida USA 2003 –to present
Visiting Tutor (Drawing with Anatomy) The Prince’s Drawing School. London 2008 –to present
Currently retired from full-time academic work to concentrate on studio work, exhibiting in solo and group exhibitions, commissions, and art education consultancies
Some recent solo exhibitions:
Paintings, Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh, 2003, 2005,2007
An Artist’s Book RSA Edinburgh 2004
Bohun Gallery Henley on Thames, October 2009
Bohun Gallery Henley on Thames May 2011
Open Eye Gallery , Edinburgh Nov 2012
Artmill Gallery, Plymouth.. March/April 2013
Some recent group exhibitions:
Bohun Gallery, Henley on Thames 2008/9/10/11/12
The Curious Eye RSA Edinburgh 2007
Gallery Artists shows: Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh and
Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow 2000 – 2011
Chine Colle etchings, Printmaker’s Workshop
Edinburgh 2004 , 2010
UCF Faculty Exhibition ..annually since 2006
RSA and RSW annual exhibitions since 1970
Recent Commissions: Portrait for University of Edinburgh 2006
Malt Whisky Society Edinburgh 2005
Painting for Art in State (UCF) Florida USA 2004
Equine portrait paintings for Jockey Club, Dubai 2003
Recent Awards: McGill Duncan Gallery Award RSW 2013
Scottish Arts Club Award, RSW 2006
Sir William Gilles Award RSA 2003
Works represented in Private and Public Collections in UK, USA, Europe, UAE and Far East including V&A Museum London, Aberdeen Art Gallery, Scottish Gallery of Modern Art, City Arts Centre Edinburgh, Leeds Education Authority, Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities, ICI, IBM, BBC