Born in Aberdeen and raised in a street of mainly settled travellers. Summers were spent on a croft in highland Donside with Hedy & Helmut Heipt, close friends of my parents.
At Relaquheim (1954)
L-R David Watson, AW, Nance Watson, Hedy Heipt.
Photo: Helmut Heipt
Educated at Aberdeen Grammar School with influential art teachers Donald Smith and Charles Hemingway with fellow pupils: Alan Cowie, Lennox Dunbar and Ian Howard. Summer employment included farm work, fruit picking, grouse beating and as a youth hostel warden.
With Neil Sandeman, Cairngorms. Photo: Richard Diack.
Trained at Gray’s School of Art gaining a diploma and post diploma in printmaking and printed textiles, taught by Ainslie Yule and Malcolm McCoig, under George Mackie, Head of Design and Ian Fleming, Head of School.
Drawing by George Mackie
Installing Diploma Show at Gray’s School of Art, in Printmaking and Printed Textiles.
Photo: Malcolm McCoig
Established Peacock Printmakers (later Peacock Visual Arts), an open-access artists’ print workshop, publisher and gallery with Ian Fleming (chairman), Malcolm McCoig and Bill Baxter (board members). Named after the Aberdeen dancing master, Francis Peacock, who established his academy in this building in the 18th century.
Peacock logo. Drawn by Donald Addison.
Worked as director and artist’s printer, serving on various Scottish Arts Council panels and committees as board member of several arts organisations, including the Scottish Sculpture Workshop, the 369 Gallery, Art in Partnership and the Richard Demarco Gallery & European Art Foundation. More recently Workshop and Studio Provision Scotland and the Pier Arts Centre.
The Early Workshop. Drawn by Charles Shearer.
With traveller singer, from the right Lizzie Higgins with AW (left centre) at a recital of north east poetry and song organised by Annie Inglis, as part of Richard Demarco’s peripatetic summer school, Edinburgh Arts 75, at Aberdeen Art Gallery.
Photo: Richard Demarco, Demarco Digital Archive.
Invitation card for solo exhibition at Aberdeen Arts Centre, with Dave Robb(left) and Stewart Cordiner (right).
From a photo by Richard Diack.
With Joyce Cairns, installing work at the Compass Gallery, Glasgow.
Photo: J Ian Young.
At the Compass private view with Ian McClure, paper conservator at Kelvingrove Museum and his son Calum.
Photos: J Ian Young.
Moved with artist Joyce Cairns, to the former fishing village of Fittie at the mouth of Aberdeen harbour; a move which greatly influenced our work as artists.
Photo; Donald Addison, a study for his print, Evening Departure, Fittie, 1992.
With Seasign Long Pointer at Scottish Sculpture Open 1, Kildrummy Castle, Aberdeenshire, organised by Fred Bushe, director, The Scottish Sculpture Workshop.
Photo: Andy Dewar.
With Ian Howard, printing the second colour on Palindrome for his exhibition, Ian Howard, Paintings, Prints and Related Works; Third Eye Centre and Peacock Printmakers.
Photo: Andy Dewar.
With Lorna Green (right) discussing the installation of Burning your Boats for Richard Demarco’s exhibition, New Tendencies in Scottish Art, at Collegium Artisticum, Sarajevo. Three woodcut prints along with nine plywood structures, made in the gallery, and tarred at a local building site.
Photo: Richard Demarco, Demarco Digital Archive.
With Bruce Mclean, Clare Henry, David Harding, (restaurant owner) and Kate Whiteford on a preliminary visit to Venice to plan the exhibition, Three Scottish Sculptors, at the 44th Venice Biennale,1990.
Photo: Richard Demarco, Demarco Digital Archive.
With David & Lesley Mach (left & centre) & Mary Modeen (in pink top) preparing to install Across the Sea for the exhibition Three Scottish Sculptors,(with David Mach & Kate Whiteford) at the 44th Venice Biennale.
Photo: Richard Demarco, Demarco Digital Archive.
Appointed fractional tutor, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, University of Dundee.
Private view card for Peacock 21: a Celebration of 21 Years of Collaboration between Artists & Printers. Stewart Cordiner printing The Whale by Jack Knox (proofs of The Lion by June Redfern pinned up) for the Scottish Bestiary, published by Paragon Press, London.
Photograph by Andy Dewar.
Design: Stewart Cordiner.
Appointed Senior Lecturer Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art; initially as director of the Master of Fine Art programme. Established fine art publishing with Paul Harrison at the Visual Research Centre and the Centre for Artists Books with Alec Findlay.
Richard Demarco drawing in Eassie Churchyard, Angus during a field trip with Masters students. MFA students at Ossian’s Hall. (1996)
Photos: Arthur Watson