Olivia Irvine
Statement I paint using oil, egg tempera and fresco. I am interested in the way an image evolves from a combination of thoughts, ideas, memory, research, flights of fancy and the actual dynamics of the picture- making process. Much of my imagery is figurative and of seemingly ordinary, yet surprising, aspects of my everyday life. I include objects, my family, my home and places I have been. I become fascinated by the awkward and poetic moments of life, but also like to take them beyond the ordinary and into something more theatrical or filmic. I have recently started to paint in fresco- pure pigment on a fresh lime plaster and am fascinated by the contemporary relevance of this ancient technique. I am particularly interested in the polished frescoes of the Roman era.
Career Path- Qualifications: 1993 MA, European Fine Art, Winchester School of Art, Barcelona, Spain 1986 Diploma in Postgraduate Studies in Painting, Edinburgh College of Art 1985 BA Honours, In Drawing and Painting, Edinburgh College of Art
Teaching Experience:2011-now, part-time Teaching Fellow in Art and Design Short Courses, University of Edinburgh (previously Edinburgh College of Art) 20112-2016- tutor and social media animateur, Open College of the Arts,1994/11 Evening Class Tutor and Summer School tutor, Edinburgh College of Art -1994/00 Part-time Lecturer, Drawing and Painting, Edinburgh College of Art -1995/96 Part-time Lecturer, Fine Art, Grays School of Art, Aberdeen -1994 Visiting Lecturer (one day), MA European Fine Art, Winchester School of Art. Areas of work: Adult education Curating Exhibiting Lecturing Workshops Collections: Abbaye de Saint Jacut, Brittany, Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh Lancome, Madrid, Spain Glasgow Museums, gifted by BBC Scotland City of Edinburgh Council University of Stirling, Scottish Arts Council bequest Paintings in Hospitals, Scotland
Solo exhibitions 2023-Improvised Fictions, Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh, 2020-Wall to Wall, Union Gallery, Edinburgh, 2018- La Fête Champêtre, French Institute, Edinburgh2017-Moray Art Centre, Findhorn, 2014- Being Somewhere, Duff House, Banff, 2013 - Some of These Places, Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, County Mayo, Eire 2011 - Remembered Rooms, 3 Harbours Arts Festival, Port Seton 2010 - Olivia Irvine and Fiona Jappy, Union Gallery, Edinburgh 2008 - Iceland and other works, Port Seton, Three Harbours Arts Festival 2004 - Alice and the Infanta, Duff House Country Gallery, Banff 2003 - Alice and the Infanta, Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh 1999 - Solo exhibition, Harbour Arts Centre, Irvine 1999 - Wasps Studios, Edinburgh 1997 - Wasps Studios, Edinburgh 1996 - Park Bench Series, Collective Gallery, Edinburgh 1994 - Artist For A Week, Collective Gallery, Edinburgh 1994 - Leighton Gallery, Blue Hill, Maine, USA 1990 - New Paintings, Christopher Boyd Gallery, Galasheils 1990 - Paintings, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness 1990 - Recent Paintings, 369 Studio Floor Gallery, Edinburgh 1989 - Paintings And Monoprints, 369 Studio Floor Gallery, Edinburgh 1987 - Paintings And Monoprints, Wasps Studio, Edinburgh
Group exhibitions 2024- Frontiers Royal Scottish Academy, Visual Arts Scotland Centenary Exhibition Royal Scottish Academy, This Year's Model Studio 1.1 London, Westside Arts Edinburgh 2023-SSA Annual Exhibition Maclaurin Galleries Ayr, Heritage Open Days Saint Mark's Church and Hearse House Ninebanks Northumberland, The Vital Spark Esbat Collective Edinburgh, WASPS Exhibition Kirkudbright Museums, RSA Annual Exhibition, 2022- This Year's Model Studio 1.1 London, Paint Talk Trongate 103 Glasgow, Unmute SSA Dunoon Burgh Halls, RSA Open Exhibition 2021- This Year's Model, Studio 1.1 London; Story Forms, Patriothall Gallery, Edinburgh; Oorsels As Ithers See Us, Sanquhar Arts Festival; Life Under Lockdown, Western General Hospital and Merz Gallery, Sanquhar; 2020-Coming Home, Aberdeen Artists Annual Exhibition (online), This Year's Model, Studio 1.1, London, Te Quiero, Seville, Spain, 2019- RSA Annual Exhibition, Threefold Two, Union gallery, Edinburgh, This Year's Model, Studio 1.1, London,2018-Dream Recall, Esbat Collective, The Life Room, Edinburgh, WASPS 40th Anniversary Exhibition, Kirkcudbright Galleries 2017-Switched, Dundas Gallery, Edinburgh 2016- Alchemy Tatha Gallery, Newport on Tay- Reunion-Union Gallery, Edinburgh- Visual Arts Scotland- All the Wonderful Things, Gayfield Creative Spaces, Edinburgh- Inside Out, Whitespace Gallery, Edinburgh 2015- Edinburgh Art fair with Art in Healthcare 2014- RSA Open-Child's Play, Union Gallery, Edinburgh- La Galerie 1940, Edinburgh 2013 - Society of Scottish Artists, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh - Still Spaces: The Allotment Project, Compass Gallery, Glasgow 2013 - Up The Garden Path, Union Gallery, Edinburgh 2012 - Poetic Licence, Union Gallery, Edinburgh 2012 - RSA Open, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh 2012 - Working/ Drawing, The Dock, Carrick- on- Shannon, Eire 2011 - Binocular Vision, Axolotl, Edinburgh 2011 - Glasgow and Islington Art Fairs since 2008, Compass Gallery, Glasgow and London 2011 - Making Waves, Union Gallery, Edinburgh 2011 - The Force and Form of Memory, Compass Gallery, Glasgow and touring 2010 - Edinburgh Soul, Union Gallery, Edinburgh 2010 - The Aspect Prize, Paisley Art Institute, Paisley 2009 - HALLelujah, curated by Jainie Nicoll, Glasgow tenement flat, Glasgow 2008 - Christmas Exhibition, Compass Gallery, Glasgow 2007 - Society of Scottish Artists, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh 2006 - Per Annum, City Art Centre, Edinburgh 2005 - Annual Exhibition, Society of Scottish Artists, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh 2005 - Cupido, la Ceguera del Amor, Espacio Guides, Madrid, Spain 2005 - Persevere, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh 2005 - WASPS Exchange Exhibition, Arc Gallery, Chicago, USA 2004 - Christmas Exhibition, Compass Gallery, Glasgow 2003 - Christmas Exhibition, Edinburgh Printmakers, Edinburgh 2001 - Bishop Phillpotts Gallery, Truro 2001 - Tide Mark, City Art Centre, Edinburgh 2001 - University of Kansas, USA 2000 - Corporate Connoisseurs, London 2000 - Dundee Contemporary Print Open 1999 - In the Summertime, Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh 1999 - Scotland's Art, City Art Centre, Edinburgh 1998 - Forteviot Gallery, Perthshire 1998 - Society of Scottish Artists, Edinburgh 1997 - Islington and Glasgow Art Fairs with the Compass Gallery, Glasgow 1996 - Brave Art, Smith Gallery, Stirling 1995 - Society Of Scottish Artists, Royal Scottish Academy 1994 - Royal Overseas League, Royal Overseas House, London and Edinburgh 1993 - 14 Post Graduates, Studio 9 Gallery, London 1993 - Progress And Diversity, British Council, Barcelona 1992 - Oxford Art Week, Luxter Fine Art, Henley-On-Thames 1991 - Old And New Scottish Colourists, Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Galleries 1990 - Aberdeen Artists, Aberdeen Art Gallery 1990 - Fruitmarket Open, Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh 1990 -Inverclyde Biennial, McLean Art Museum, Greenock
Commissions/ teaching/ residencies/community work current-Teaching Fellow, University of Edinburgh,2023- Kathleen Conboy Landscape Award SSA. 2022 -QEST Anthony and Elizabeth Mellows Charitable Settlement Scholarship for training in fresco painting, Stephen Palmer Travel Award, W. Gordon Smith and Jay Gordonsmith Painting Award at the RSA, Cill Rialaig Artist Residency County Kerry Ireland, 2021- Merz Residency, Sanquhar, 2020 - Life under Lockdown, Tonic Arts Micro Residency, Edinburgh, 2018, Room For Art, Art in Healthcare, Edinburgh, 2017- Art for people living with dementia, Volunteer Midlothian, 2016-Painting for retiring paediatrician, Sunshine House, London 2011- Live/Performance 2011 - Convergence, Edinburgh Peer Group, Out of the Blue, Edinburgh 2003-Private commissions - Egg tempera painting, private client, England Projects 2010 - 'The Garden' mural project with primary school children, St. Mary's (Leith) Primary School, Edinburgh Educational experience - tertiary 2012 - Continuing Education Tutor, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh (since 2003) 2012 - drawing and painting tutor, Open College of the Arts, online
Funding 2022- Qest Anthony and Elizabeth Mellows Charitable Settlement Award for fresco training, Stephen Palmer Travel Bursary 2021 Creative Scotland Open Fund Sustaining Creative Development; 2020 - Creative Scotland VACMA Bursary