Iain Patterson
72 ǀ POSITIV 2/2026
STYL
Iain Paerson
Arst and Educator Who Creates
the Scosh Landscape ...at His Heart
He grew up in Ayr, the birthplace of Robert Burns, and, by his own account, was not parcularly
exceponal in art at school. Yet he went on to become an arst whose landscapes are not
the result of planning, but of a living dialogue between nature, free jazz and the material beneath
his hands.
It is generally said that we all have some degree
of artistic talent, but only some develop it to the point
where they completely fall for it and it becomes their
lifelong passion. How was it for you?
I was born and brought up in Ayr, a town on the west
coast of Scotland and near to the birthplace of Robert
Burns, Scotland’s national poet.
I was a keen student of art at school although I never
regarded myself as having any special talent.
My fellow pupils were skilled at drawing animal
and cartoon characters which I was hopeless at.
I suppose I was unconsciously self taught and aware
of other artists through research at the town library.
From an early age it was Vincent above all who was my
biggest influence. His passion and directness was a great
inspiration. It still is! In my last year at school I applied
for Art College in Edinburgh (my art teacher reassuring
me that “he would eat his hat” if I was successful!).
I thought at first that I would study Graphic Art but that
soon changed with the freedom that study in Fine Art
promised - though Edinburgh College of Art was still
rooted in tradition, with an emphasis on figurative
drawing. But I did arrive in the middle of the rebellion 60’s!
There was great optimism for change and abstraction
seemed to be the way forward. The Head of School
on studio visits complained that there was no evident
“blood or guts passion” in cool abstraction. In response
I made a series of paintings with blood and guts as
a theme.
What themes did you work on before and what
themes are you mainly working on now? I often
introduce you as a „Scottish landscape painter“,
but as I have long understood, in your case
it is „the landscapes of your soul“.
My themes and influences have been for a long time -
the natural world and improvised music.
The response to nature was never in a literal or pictorial
way but to echo shape and growth (I’m looking
at unfurling fern in my garden in this early summer
in a similar way to Karl Blossfeld’s photographs)
Music is a constant presence and influence in my
studio activity. Since the 60’s I’ve tried to absorb
the directness and freedom that listening to ‘free’
jazz has given me. I still have musician friends (many
from an art school background) who I’ve collaborated
with. I’ve designed an edition of album covers
for Derek Bailey’s Incus record label. At the moment
I’m making a series of “half paintings” that my master
drummer friend, Han Bennink will complete.
We’ll have a show and concert together in the near
future.
What does your typical day as an artist look like
and what is your preparation before you materialise
your vision on a (larger) canvas or sculpt it in clay?
My typical day is try to do something. If I’m energetic,
I will work fast, but usually - it’s slow.
The ‘Balance’ title reflects this - I think about something
gestural and fast then in contrast it’s painstakingly slow
and sometimes tedious. I don’t want it to be easy.
I try not to plan the big paintings and I don’t prepare
the images in advance.
The “Out West” title refers to the landscape
photographs I’ve take of the Western Isles of Scotland
and in particular, the Isle of Tiree which is very far west.
It sounds like a Cowboy movie - but that’s not the case.
The origin of the Munros sculpture is based on a group
exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh,
titled “The Unpainted Landscape”.
In the mid 80’s I was invited to stay in a Zsolnay Ceramic
workshop in the south of Hungary. I had made a whole
series of village and tree drawings and a fellow artist had
suggested that making trees using porcelain would be
appropriate and this delicate material would translate
well. Hence the porcelain Munros.
You are considered an expert on the life and work
of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Did Mackintosh have
a direct or indirect influence on your artistic thinking
and work?
On Charles Rennie MacIntosh - I really don’t see myself
as an expert and apart from a mutual love of Scottish
Vernacular Architecture, he didn’t have a huge influence
Full interview
| Text: Tadeáš Goryczka, foto: © Rachel Girling