Colin Gibson (artist)

Colin Gibson was born in 1907. His parents were Colin Gibson, a missionary, and Euphemia Sophia Axworthy (1879 - 8 February 1954). They had married in 1903 in Arbroath. They had two sons Colin, and his elder brother William Axworthy Gibson (1904 - 1979).[4]

He was Art medallist at Arbroath High School. While still at High School he wrote nature notes for the Arbroath Guide and drew football cartoons for the Arbroath Herald.[5]

He worked in journalism, writing for the People's Friend and wrote nature diaries in the Dundee Courier.[6][3]

Gibson loved nature and visited the island of Rona, near Skye in 1933–34 to study the flora and fauna.[7]

He married Elizabeth Jarvis Lawrence (1911 - 1990) on 6 July 1938, known as Lisbeth.[2]

He went to Gray's School of Art and studied there from 1925 to 1929. He won two travelling scholarships at the School and went to Italy then Spain.[5] His paintings of Venice are considered noteworthy.[4]

Gibson first exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy when he was staying at Lynash in Arbroath. In 1935 he submitted two works:- The Mountain Blaaven, Skye; and the Premlinary Sketch For Panel In The Rowett Agricultural Research Institute, Aberdeen.[8]

He moved to Monifieth and in 1941 he submitted two works to the RSA:- Arbilot Mill; and Dalbrack, Glenesk, In Spring. In 1942 that increased to five works:- Lisbeth; Pensive Girl; Girl Seated With Hand Poised; Still Life; and My Love Is Young!.[8]

In 1943 he submitted six works to RSA:- another portrait Lisbeth; L'Allegra; Itinerant; Girl, Seated Reading A Book; Artist At Work; Figure Studies - Red Chalk. This paid off with the RSA giving him the joint Guthrie Award alongside Alberto Morrocco.[8]

Six works was his high point, but he continued exhibiting work at the RSA. His last year to do so was in 1948:- Young Model; Women Disrobing; and Woman In White.[8]

In 1969 the Earl of Strathmore asked Gibson to paint the then Prince Charles' favourite fishing spot on the River Dee. The work is now part of the Royal Collection.[4]

He died on 7 April 1998 in Arbroath. He is buried in the Western Cemetery in Arbroath.[9]

In 2017, the colour sketches that Gibson did from the isle of Rona were turned into island stamps; his sketches of Dry Harbour, Church Cave and the cliffs seen in rough weather from Dry Harbour were all turned into local issue stamps.[7]

Dundee's Barrack Street museum hosted a retrospective exhibition of his work in 1988.[4]

Gibson's work should not be confused with that of the Belfast painter Colin Gibson, notable for paintings of Northern Ireland.[10]