Scottie Wilson

SCOTTIE WILSON

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2. Geometric Face 3, pen & ink & coloured crayon, 24 x 18.5 cm, ÂŁ1450

front cover:

1. Birds in a Tree, pen & coloured crayon, 35.5 x 26.5 cm, ÂŁ2750

SCOTTIE WILSON

Scottie Wilson’s discovery that he could draw was as much a surprise to him as it was to anyone. Picking up a fountain pen in his second-hand store, he began to doodle one day on top of a table. Within hours the surface was covered in tiny faces, flowers and stylised figures conjured purely from his imagination: ‘The pen seemed to make me draw, and them images, the faces and designs just flowed out. I couldn’t stop – I’ve never stopped since…’

Born in Glasgow in 1891, Wilson left for Canada

animistic totem pole carvings in the parks of

after serving in the Scottish Rifles. Though little is

Vancouver. From these Wilson drew similar faces,

known about his life, it was here, aged around forty

believed to be self-portraits, surrounded by

years old, that he realised a passion for drawing,

ornamental birds, fish, flowers and trees. But for

abandoning his job as a shopkeeper to make his

many years, as Levy writes, the happy lands of his

trade as an artist. Intensely distrustful of dealers, he

colourful creations were invaded by self-referential

held few exhibitions, preferring instead to keep work

‘greedies and evils’: ‘These strange creatures, with

for himself and display it in his own touring shows,

upturned noses and sometimes spiky hair, would

charging nominal entrance fees. In 1945 he left

threaten the peace of the idyllic world Scottie drew.

Canada for London, just as galleries began to

His work is termed visionary and mystic, but I would

clamour for his work, and had drawings exhibited

add to that prophetic: he realised that man was a

alongside Picasso, Klee, Miró, and de Chirico.

dreadful danger to himself and the world around him.’

The writer and critic Mervyn Levy was among the

With time, the pictures became more tender and

few industry figures in whom Wilson put his faith. His

gentle. The threat from these demons was largely

son, Ceri, recalls the walls of their house ‘festooned

gone: ‘The challenge now’, writes Levy, ‘was purely

with Scottie’s drawings’. He was the ‘mischievous,

metaphysical, and he relied on his familiar cast to

cantankerous’ visitor whose ‘gruffness would give

see him through the darkness of old age.’ He remains,

way to kindness’ as he sat and drew in his rooms:

Levy continues, ‘one of the best kept secrets. Jean

‘I watched him carefully filling in empty space with

Dubuffet and Picasso collected Scottie’s drawings,

lines and colour and, as if by magic, his worlds would

he exhibited with the Surrealists, and his work is

appear.’ Though he decried snobbery and professed

held by the finest museums and collections in the

a hatred for the establishment, his flat caps, symbols

world, and yet he is still an artist who is new for

of his working-class roots, were purchased from the

many people. My father suggested Scottie’s work is

most expensive outfitters on Jermyn Street – a

about reconnecting to his childhood, to a time when

‘subversive infiltration of high society’ that appealed

things were easier and perhaps more poetic. Many

to his ‘natural impish character.’

His first drawings drew inspiration from the

of us seek a way back to our past; in Scottie’s work, perhaps we can move one step closer to it.’

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3. Geometric Head 1, £950

4. Geometric Head 4, £950

pen & ink & coloured crayon, 13 x 12 cm

pen & ink & coloured crayon, 12.5 x 12 cm

5. Geometric Head 5, £950

6. Geometric Head 6, £950

pen & ink & coloured crayon, 13.5 x 11 cm

pen & ink & coloured crayon, 12.5 x 12.5 cm

SCOTTIE WILSON | 3

7. Geometric Head 7, £950

8. Geometric Head 8, £950

pen & ink & coloured crayon 12.5 x 11.5 cm

pen & ink & coloured crayon, 12.5 x 12 cm,

9. Geometric Head 9, £950

10. Geometric Head 10, £950

pen & ink & coloured crayon, 13.5 x 11.5 cm

pen & ink & coloured crayon, 13 x 12 cm

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11. Geometric Head 11, £950

12. Geometric Head 3, £1250

pen & ink & coloured crayon, 13 x 12.5 cm

pen & ink & coloured crayon, 15.5 x 14 cm

13. Geometric Head 2, £950

14. Geometric Head 12, £950

pen & ink & coloured crayon, 13 x 12 cm

pen & ink & coloured crayon, 12.5 x 11.5 cm

SCOTTIE WILSON | 5

15. Geometric Face 1, ÂŁ1450 pen & ink & coloured crayon, 25.5 x 16.5 cm

16. Geometric Face 2, ÂŁ1450 pen & ink & coloured crayon, 25 x 15.5 cm

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17. House of Peace with Tree of Life, £2950 gouache, ink & pen, 36 x 55 cm

|7

18. Trees with Butterflies, £2950 gouache, 48 x 35 cm

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20. Flowers, Birds, Butterflies & Fish, £2750 pen, coloured crayon & ink, 36 x 26.6 cm

19. Figure, £1950 coloured crayon, 36.5 x 26.5 cm

SCOTTIE WILSON | 9

21. Rows of Butterflies, Birds & Fish, ÂŁ2450 watercolour, coloured crayon & ink, 36 x 25 cm

22. Symmetrical Design, ÂŁ1950 pen & coloured crayon, 37 x 26.5 cm

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10 |

24. Green Butterfly with Birds, £1450 gouache, 23.5 x 18 cm

23. White Butterfly with Swan, £1450 gouache, 25 x 17 cm

SCOTTIE WILSON | 11

25. Pink Butterfly with Birds, £1450

26. White Butterfly with Fish, £1450

gouache, 22.5 x 17.5 cm

gouache, 23 x 17 cm

His vision is one of the most unique of any of the primitive painters…

Mervyn Levy

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28. Mask, £1250 pen & ink, 22 x 14.5 cm

27. Pink Birds, Blue Fish, £2450 pen & coloured crayon, 33 x 24 cm

29. Tower Form with Birds and Fish, £1450 pen & coloured crayon, 26 x 12 cm

SCOTTIE WILSON | 13

30. Circular Design, ÂŁ1950 pen & coloured crayon, 30 x 22 cm

31. Geometric Face 4, ÂŁ1950 pen & coloured crayon, 34 x 22 cm

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14 |

32. Butterflies, Swans, Fish & Birds, £2750 gouache, 48 x 30 cm

SCOTTIE WILSON | 15

33. Life Under Suns, £2450 gouache & ink, 26 x 36.5 cm

34. Birds Bathing with Fish, £2450 gouache & ink, 26 x 36.5 cm

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35. Cup Design with Flowers and Birds, ÂŁ2750 coloured crayon, pencil, pen & ink, 37 x 27 cm

SCOTTIE WILSON | 17

36. Swan and Fish, ÂŁ2750 pen & coloured crayon, 30 x 30.5 cm

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18 |

38. Butterfly Border: Birds & Fish, £2450 watercolour, coloured crayon & ink 36.5 x 25.5 cm

37. Tree of Life with Swans & Fish, £2750 gouache, pencil & ink, 36.5 x 25 cm

SCOTTIE WILSON | 19

39. Family of Swans with Fish & Butterflies, £2750 pen & coloured crayon, 37.5 x 24 cm

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40. Circular Plate, Tree and Flower, £1400

41. Circular Plate, Yellow and Black, £1400

painted ceramic, 25 x 25 cm

painted ceramic, 25 x 25 cm

42. Circular Plate, Blue, Black and White, £1250 painted ceramic, 25 x 25 cm

43. Oval Platter, £750 transfer on ceramic, 39 x 32.5 cm

44. Birds and Flowers, ÂŁ595 printed on cotton satin, 49 x 56 cm

He remains one of the best kept secrets.

Jean Dubuffet and Picasso collected Scottie’s drawings, he exhibited with the Surrealists, and his work is held by the finest museums and collections in the world, and yet he is still an artist who is new for many people.

45. Architectural Design with Swans, ÂŁ2450 gouache & pen & ink, 34.5 x 34.5 cm

. . .galleries began to clamour for his work, and he had drawings exhibited alongside Picasso, Klee, MirĂł, and de Chirico.

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Orange Street, Uppingham, Rutland goldmarkart.com 01572 821424 Monday-Saturday 9.30-5.30, Sunday 11.00 -4.00 and Bank Holidays

March 2018