James D Robertson

Who was James D Robertson?

James D Robertson MBE was a Scottish painter and senior lecturer at the Glasgow School of Art. He played an influential role in the Scottish visual arts scene for nearly five decades.

James Downie Robertson was born in Cowdenbeath in 1931. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a painter and entered the Glasgow School of Art in 1949 on a non-diploma course. In 1955, he was awarded a post-diploma and spent the summer of that year at Hospitalfield. After leaving the Glasgow School of Art he spent 18 months as a non-certified teacher at Keith Grammar school. In 1959 he joined the staff of the Glasgow School of Art initially on a part-time basis, ultimately becoming a Senior Lecturer and temporary Head of Drawing and Painting before his retirement in 1996. From 1996 to 1998, he held the post of Resident Painter at the Glasgow School of Art.

His work is held many public and private collections including HRH Prince Phillip and The Queen Mother.

He died on 7 January 2010 after a short illness

In October 2010 a memorial exhibition was held at the Glasgow Art Club