New exhibition at Beacon inspired by Glasgow School of Art

Fiona Robertson, a lecturer in the painting and printmaking department since the late 1990s, has shared her insights in a book of drawings titled ‘Inside Job: Memories of an Art School’.

Some of these drawings have been reworked for an exhibition at the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock.

(Image: Christopher Bowen) The book features 100 drawings that capture and fictionalise her experiences of teaching fine art, as well as her reflections on the role of artist and teacher.

She also reflects on the impact of the two devastating fires of 2014 and 2018, and the Covid pandemic of 2020.

Fiona said: “I have been at the Glasgow School of Art for 28 years.

“It is a fantastic privilege to teach there.

“It is an exciting place to learn and to meet people from all over the world.

(Image: Christopher Bowen) “The last ten years have been difficult. The fires had a huge impact.

“We perhaps didn’t understand what we had in the Mac building until it was gone.”

(Image: Christopher Bowen) She will launch her book and give guests a walk-through of her exhibition at a free event at the Beacon at 11am on Wednesday, May 28.

Her show, ‘More Than a Feeling’, expands on the work in her book, using painting and printmaking to explore materiality and impressions of memories and dreams.

Her work spans a range of mediums including drawing, painting, sculpture, and experimental film, which have been selected for international competitions at festivals such as Oberhausen and Go Short.

(Image: Christopher Bowen) Fiona added: “I was drawn to exhibiting at the Beacon because it’s such a beautiful space located on the waterfront.

“Throughout my career I have worked in different forms, but painting went out of fashion and I stopped until about eight years ago.

“Many of the works are reworkings of my drawings in the book, but translated into a different medium.”

(Image: Christopher Bowen) The Beacon, which was recently awarded multi-year funding from Creative Scotland to support its work, has an annual programme of visual arts exhibitions.

The programme is overseen by guest curator Fraser Taylor, who is an honorary professor at the Glasgow School of Art.

He said: “Fiona’s work promises to inspire and delight audiences – and we are all looking forward to hearing her take on life as a teacher and artist at the GSA.”