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He was working by a harbour in Fife and being watched over his shoulder by an old fisherman. As the painting evolved the fisherman said, You’d be better wi’ a camera. Gillies continuing painting and, without looking up, answered, Yes I know – but I havenae got a camera.
Frances Walker CBE, RSA, RSW (b.1930)
Sir William Gillies is still highly underrated in Modern British terms. Born in Haddington, he trained and taught at Edinburgh College of Art, and did the latter as principal. He was a great influence on many of the next generation of the Edinburgh School. He himself studied in Paris with Andre Lhote and absorbed, variously, the work of Munch, Matisse, Braque and Bonnard. Still life and landscape oils tend to be composed studio pieces of subtle complexity. Watercolours are lyrically observed renderings of the Scottish Borders based on decisive pencil or pen drawings or for larger works, executed alla prima. Gillies had a long and fruitful relationship with The Scottish Gallery which continues in the secondary market.
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