Tom McKendrick RSW RGI

Tom McKendrick was born in Clydebank in 1948. Growing up in this small but vibrant industrial town has had a marked influence in his work and methodology. He served an aprenticeship as a ‘Loftsman’ in John Browns Shipyard before moving on to Glasgow School of Art.

The roots of his paintings and sculptures emerge from the processes of industry. It is the human drive to “make” that interests his creative energies and his fascination in the interaction between man, ideas and materials results in large multimedia shows.

Tom’s exhibitions contain a rich variety of media and techniques, dedicated sound, objects and effects that merge to create a highly charged aesthetic statement. Influenced by religious and archaeological art McKendrick with ease blends ancient concepts and modern technology.

His exhibitions can be best described as ‘layered’, allowing the viewer to explore deeply the many facets that are merged into the subject matter. The need to create a single holistic visual impact dominates his exhibitions and the use of theatrical effects are employed to enhance and bind together the varied components and intensify the aesthetic atmosphere. Primarily a painter his work is identified by its rich surface texture.

McKendricks techniques are as varied as the contents of his shows and he is at ease creating in clay, welded steel, oil paint, watercolour, light, electronics and kinetics or indeed anything that the current project demands to bring it to fruition.

Major exhibitions of acclaim include Blitz, Submarine, Rivet Temple, Iron and Heavier Than Air. Each has been the subject of a television documentary and enjoyed highly successful tours with record breaking gallery visitation levels.

1963 – 1969 – Apprenticeship as a Loftsman in John Browns Shipyards
1970 – 1975 – Glasgow School of Art
1976 – Jordanhill College of Education
1985 – Elected to Royal Society of Watercolorists
1986 – Elected to Glasgow Group
1988 – Elected to Royal Glasgow Institute
2009 – 2012 – Elected to RSW Council
Current member of the RSW Creative Development Group.

Exhibitions

1976 – Jordanhill College
1977 – John D Kelly Gallery
1980 – Collins Exhibition Hall
1980 – Harbour Arts Centre
1982 – Collins Gallery
1983 – McLaurin Gallery
1984 – McLean Museum
1984 – Corners Gallery
1985 – Stirling Smith Art Gallery
– City Arts Centre Edinburgh
– McLean Museum
– M R C Buildings Glasgow
1986 – ESU Gallery Edinburgh
– Lillie Art Gallery
1987 – Kirkcaldy Art Gallery – 1987
– Dundee Art Gallery
– McLaurin Art Gallery
1991 – Clydebank Town Hall
– Edinburgh Festival
– Dick Institute, Kilmarnock
– St Andrew’s
– Dundee Museum.
– Wolverhampton Art Gallery
– An Lantair Gallery
– Aberdeen Art Gallery
1992 – Gatehouse Gallery
1993 – Dalmuir Gallery
– Lillie Art Gallery
1996 – Collins Gallery
1997 – McLean Museum
– McManus Gallery …
– Summerlee Museum
– Dick Institute …
2002 – Collins Gallery
2003 – Upfront Gallery
2004 – Ferens Gallery Hull
2008 – The Baths Contemporary Art Space.2012
2012 – Glasgow Art Club (Retrospective)
2014 – Pavilion Gallery, House for an Art Lover

Mixed Exhibitions

Glasgow Group Shows… Aberdeen Artists… Royal Glasgow Institute… Scottish Arts Council Touring Exhibitions… Royal Society Artists.. .Royal Society Water Colourists… Glasgow group…Norway/Netherlands/ Belgium.

Design

1984 – Set Design, Jumpers Contemporary dance Theatre.
1986 – Set and Costume Design, Lets Dance STV ….
1995 – STV Underwater
1997 – BBC Nautilus, Set Designs
1997 – Diversions Dance Group, Set Design
– Channel 4. Ready Set Go – (4 programme’s) …
– ABSA – Design and Construction of Scottish Awards..
1998 -Set Design Britannia..
2001 – Lanes lighting project
2003 – Station Square Project
2006 – Moon Garden project
2007 – Trafalgar Art Screen project
2009 – Dalnotter Clydebank Blitz Memorial
2010 – Beardmore Sculpture project
– Designer of ‘Watermark’ RSW Newsletter.
– Designer RSW online gallery

Collections

Nairn District Council… George Outram… Scottish Arts Council…McLaurin Contemporary Collection… Arthur Anderson Collection… McLean Museum and Art Gallery… Lillie Art Gall.ery… Royal Air Force Museum… Clydebank District Council… Motherwell District Council… West Dumbarton Council.. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum… Lilou University Sweden…
Strathclyde University.. .Aberdeen Art Gallery… Dundee Art Gallery…City of Glasgow College.

An extensive variety of public and private collections in Britain, Germany, Holland, Sweden, France, Canada and America.

Awards

1977 – RGI David Cargill Award
1980 – RGI Torrance Memorial Award
1981 – McKissock Prize
1979 – Nairn 79 Prize
1981 – Glasgow Herald Prize
1985 – Mayfest Compass prize
1986 – Inverclyde Biennial Prize
2012 – RSW Council Award
2013 – RGI House for an Art Lover Award
2015 – RSW Glasgow Art Club Award
2015 – RSW City of Glasgow College Award

Publications/Articles/Programme’s

Blitz – Commemorative photo history of the Clydebank Blitz… Quest for Invisibility, Glasgow Herald… Submarine Film – (purchased by Metropolitan Museum of Art New York)… BBC. Clydebuilt contributor… Radio – contributor to various programmes… Adviser/Contributor – Schools Art Programmes… Documentary on the Clydebank Blitz …Documentary on the Titanic….Documentary on the Royal Yacht Britannia – Presenter . ExS Iron Documentary… Rivet Temple, STV.Talking Pictures Documentary… Underwater – Schools Programme Channel 4…. Submarine – Documentary… . Ready Set Go (4 programmes – Art Education)… Educational Book Co – Writer/Illustrator .

http://www.tommckendrick.com/index.html