Growing up in the landscape  of the west coast of Scotland engendered in me a deep passion for geology and archaeology both of which have clear resonances  in my work. However this early interest  owed much more to the purely visual and aesthetic aspects rather than a concern with pure science. This came much later when I studied for a degree in Geology through the Open University followed by a course in field archaeology at Glasgow University.

Some years earlier I trained in Mural Design at Glasgow School of Art under George Garson, one of Britain’s leading mosaicists at that time. Garson, ‘constructivist’ mosaicist, proved a seminal influence and introduced me to mosaic techniques.

The emotional impact of seeing Garson’s superb mosaics for the first time remains a vivid memory. He also involved me in the production of large scale mosaic-murals including the huge AlanDavie/George Garson mural at Grangemouth in Scotland.

Especially in marginally cultivated upland areas, Scotland is rich in the remains of structures which tell of human habitation following the retreat  of the great ice-sheets some ten thousand years ago. I measure, draw and interpret  the topographical context of these sites. Geological elements of the location and the materials used in their construction are investigated and explained.

This, perhaps unconventional, marriage of art and science provides a powerful stimulus for the creation of the mosaics. I have been particularly concerned in my smaller pieces with the theme of Prehistoric standing stones. These mysterious megaliths are to be found in many parts of Scotland and other sites in western Europe.

Although a theory not widely held in the archaeological community, one possible explanation for these intriguing stones is that they were a kind of primitive calendar. Using, perhaps, solar and lunar alignments, times for sowing, harvest and rituals would be predicted. This notion of alignment provides a very strong thread permeating much of my work.

Lately, in larger mosiacs, my approach has become  minimal in technique as I seek to distil the very essence of those elements in geology and archaeology that have moved and stimulated me over the years.

The primary materials used in the execution of these mosaic pieces is slate, as much as 500 million years old. The slate is literally backpacked or ferried by boat from disused quarry sites in Scotland such as Easdale, Ballachulish and Aberfoyle. Other materials do make a limited but important appearance including gold and silver-leaf smalti imported from Italy.

To summarise: My work, I hope, communicates a personal, emotional response to the Scottish landscape, its geology and prehistory. Often the titles I give the works employ academic terminology in an effeort to draw a deeper contextual response from the viewer. The mosaics however are never purely didactic or decorative; they are essentially deeply felt, expressive artworks. 

Full CV
GROUT Magazine Article
Artists and Illustrators Magazine Article
Artist Statement
Past Exhibitions