Shelagh Atkinson
‘Life is about learning which are the questions we should ask, not as we are taught, seeking answers.’
She is a multi disciplinary artist interested in the natural environment, politics, the human condition. Her work contains topical themes related to the environment, politics and language, reflections on the human condition, and poignant subjects of grief, memory and transformation. Atkinson also investigates the visual possibilities of language through a range of mediums.Her practice incorporates a range of media including paint, photography, video, print, drawing and sound. Coming from a left leaning political household, could be said to be integral to Atkinson’s artistic practice. She did not take a conventional route into art, her story acts as an inspiration to a younger generations who are likely to feel an affinity with her experience, especially in the current socio-economic climate.
Career Leith School of Art Edinburgh Scotland
Communication Studies Napier University Edinburgh Scotland
Community Studies Crewe And Alsager College Chesire England
Work experience:
2024 Collaboration with designer James Brook on my publication Dig - an excavation of mine Release date NOW purchase direct from me
2024 https://mapping-printmaking.com/ Additions to this new online publication of mapping printmaking Global ( Nuno Canelas)
2023- Developments and data collecting, photographing, narrative building on my archive
2022 Curatorial conversations with Wendy Law artworker
2019/020/21/23 working with Art360Foundation.org.uk archiving my artworks, my art practice, digitising the works, archiving the papers, cataloguing .
Current: pop up art retail experience Edinburgh
Current: portraiture developments
2008 /2010 Studio practice and research
2006/7 The Drawing Group WASPS Studio Edinburgh
2003/05 Leith School of Art, Drawing and Painting
2000/01 Painting and Life Drawing Courses, Newmilne Studios, Perthshire
1996 Non-toxic Print Workshop, Prof K Howard , Edinburgh Print makers, Edinburgh
1996/97 Community Art Workshops, Edinburgh
Areas of work: printmaking, painting, drawing, project making, photography
Collections:
- Womenʼs art library and archive Goldsmiths London England
- NBC MeshTech Inc Tokyo Japan
- Royal Bank of Scotland art collection
- Scottish National Portrait Gallery Edinburgh
- Newhall Art Collection Cambridge University England.
- Royal Scottish Museum Edinburgh
- Glasgow Womens Art Library
- Scottish Poetry Collection Edinburgh
- The BalticPlus archive Newcastle upon Tyne England
- Royal Scottish Museum Edinburgh
- Commissions:
- 2018 Bailey family: Portaiture in paint
- 2015 A family dog: Portraiture in print
- 2011 Reproduction of my screenprint My Ties with Mick Luathe Press Never Mind the Captions Alasdair Findlay https://www.luath.co.uk/history/never-mind-the-captions-an-off-beat-guide-to-scotlands-history-and-heritage
- 2007 Found Sound CD Reichstag Wrap [self financed]
- 2004 CD cover image, Scottish Music Industry .www.weedramrecords.co.uk/business.html
- 1995/96 Circle The City, Mural Project, Edinburgh, Funded by LEEL Edinburgh Council
- 1995 Book Cover design Heirt’ s Bluid, Chapman Publication
Author:David Purves
Print Book, English, 1995
Publisher: Chapman, Edinburgh, 1995
- Prizes and awards:
- 2023 Creative Scotland open Fund Award
- 2018 Karen Scopa memorial prize ‘Keep looking babe ‘Paisley Arts Institute Annual Exhibition
- 2017 Two screenprints portraits of LornaM Fraser And Elspeth Lamb RSA purchased Scottish National Portrait Gallery permanent collection
- 2013 ‘In Absentia ‘Flora Wood [best original art piece in show] Visual Arts Scotland Exhibition
- 2009 Richard Demarco prize ‘Culture Yourself ‘Edinburgh Peoples art Show Edinburgh Festival Edinburgh Scotland
- 2009 Royal Scottish Museum Edinburgh purchase print ( ‘My ties with Mick’) for the Scottish Industries permanent collection
- 2003/05 Two screenprints purchased ‘My ties with Mick’ and ‘Making Music ‘Scottish National Portrait Gallery permanent collection
- 1999 Peacock Editioning Prize, Aberdeen Society of Artists exhibition
- 1998 British Council Award, for Berlin Residency and exhibition (Scottish Society of Artists )
- 1998 Overseas Exhibition Fund (for Berlin) Edinburgh City Council
Public realm
2024 artists@patriothall WASPS Edinburgh festival Exhibition Scotland
2024 Mail art exhibition Merz Gallery Sanquar Scotland
2023 Public release of my film with art360foundation and David Bickerstaff atomictv.com
2023 Screenprints with Edinburgh Printmakers at Atria one Edinburgh
2022 Contemporary print exhibition Edinburgh Printmakers Scotland
2021 Scottish drawing competition Paisley Art Institute Paisley Scotland
2020 Left: holding Project postcard 500 delivered across the globe
posting of film on myinstagram account and on YouTube.com the tricks of vision channel
2020 Paisley Arts Institute 132nd ANNUAL exhibition First Online
2019 Art Apparel Collective Art work Leith school of Art Edinburgh
2019 Pop up retail artshop Edinburgh
2019 Positive Emotions contemporary art Kunsthuis Gallery Crayk North Yorkshire England
2018 WASPS 40th anniversary exhibition Kirkcudbright arts centre Galloway Scotland
2018 Paisley art institute annual exhibition Paisley Scotland
2018 Our eARTh contemporary art Kunsthuis Gallery Crayk North Yorkshire England
- 2015/17/19 5th/6th Tokyo Screenprint biennial [honourablemention] www.nbc-jp.com
- 2015 Indelible Traces printmaking exhibition Edinburghprintmakers.co.uk
- 2015 London Art FAIR [print] www.arushagallery.com
- 2013 GLOBAL PRINT printmaking biennial of Douro, Museum of Lamigo, Alijo Portugal
- 2011-13 Society Scottish Art annual exhibition [SSA], Royal Scottish Academy Edinburgh Scotland
- The Society of Scottish Artists SSA Contemporary art exhibtion, Royal Scottish Academy and Visual Arts Scotland VAS contemporary art show
- 2011 Encounters with Place [film/prints/book] Threshold Art Space Perth theatre, Perth Scotland
- 2011 - IMPRINT, Print Council of Australia a print archive, North Melbourne Victoria Australia
- 2011 - NSA PRINT, The Exchange Gallery, Penzance Cornwall
- 2010 - Contemporary printmaking competition, Open Space Galleries, 40 Lower Market St, Penryn, Cornwall, England www.openspacegalleries.com, UK
- 2009 A Model of Order-Concrete Poetry, books and Editions Fruitmarket Gallery Bookshop, 45 Market Street Edinburgh
- 2007 - Elected Professional member , Visual Arts Scotland, Edinburgh
- 2005 - CAFE ART FAIR, The Corn Exchange, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2005 - SPIN Contemporary ArtGroup Talk , WASPS studios Patriothall, Edinburgh Scotland
- Solo exhibitions
- 2019 Pop-up retail space Edinburgh
- 2014 In and out of Place AND Collective gallery Bridge of Allan Stirling Scotland
- 2010 - A Walk along the Fontanka, Scots Russia Forum,Edinburgh Scotland
- 2008 - The Walls Paper, glass&thomson, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2007 - Take a Look at the Face, Radical Book Fair The Drill Hall Out of the Blue , Edinburgh Scotland
- 2002 - Places and Faces, McHardys Art, The Borders, Scotland
- 1996 - The Landscape Mix, Dunedin Gallery, Edinburgh Scotland
- 1995 - Headfull of Mince: of Mince and Men, Glasgay Cafe Delmonica Glasgow
- 1992 - Building Relations Building Reflections, Netherbow Art Centre, Edinburgh Scotland
- 1992 - Girls and Boys Toys, Cafe Soho, Edinburgh Scotland
- Group exhibitions
- 2024 Artists@PatriothallWASPS Edinburgh festival
- 2022 Annual members exhibition Edinburgh Printmakers Scotland
- 2021 Scottish drawing competition Paisley Arts institute Paisley Scptland
- 2013 - The Edinburgh printmakers, Royal Overseas League , Edinburgh Scotland 2013 - Life Drawing Group, WASPS studios Patriothall gallery, Edinburgh Scotland 2013 - Print Fusion, Gallery Ten [X], Edinburgh Scotland
- 2013 - Visual Arts Scotland Annual Open Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy Edinburgh Scotland
- 2012 - The Edinburgh Printmakers, Scottish Arts club, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2012 - Grafika Polska Big Print Small Print, Wroclaw Academy of Fine Arts, Wroclaw Poland
- 2012 - International print exhibition, Yunnan museum, Kunming City China
- 2012 - Visual Arts Scotland Annual Open Exhibition, Royal Scottish Arts Academy, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2011 The Scottish Society of Artists Contemporary Art Open, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2011 NSA PRINT, Exchange Gallery Penzance Cornwall England
- 2011 Pushing Print The Pie factory, Margate England
- 2009 Edinburgh Peoples Festival art exhibition, North Edinburgh Arts Centre, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2009 Scotland a Changing Nation Royal Scottish Museum Edinburgh Scotland
- 2009 -2008 Society of Aberdeen Artists, Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen Scotland
- Visual Arts Scotland annual exhibition, City Arts Centre Edinburgh, Edinburgh Scotland
- Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Art, MaClellan galleries, Glasgow Scotland
- Scottish Society Artists, Royal Scottish Academy , Edinburgh Scotland
- 2007 Anonymous drawings, Bluetenweiss Raum fur kunst, Berlin
- 2007 Scottish Drawing Competition, Paisley Museum and Art gallery, Paisley Scotland
- 2006 Thoroughly Modern Women, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2005 - International Contemporary Womens Printmaking, Lessedra Gallery, Sofia Bulgaria
- 2005 - Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Art , McLellan Galleries, Glasgow Scotland 2005 - Scotland WASPS Studio exchange programme, Arc gallery, Chicago USA 2004 - Lessedra Mini Print Exhibition, Lessedra Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria
- 2003 - Fine Art of Printmaking Touring Exhibition, Scottish Borders, Scotland
- 2001 - Kanagawa Print Triennial, Yokohama, Japan
- 2000 - National Print Exhibition, The Mall Gallery, London England
- 1999 About Face [with Mark Ianson], Reynolds Gallery, Edinburgh Scotland
- 1998 Footsteps - A Scottish Society of Artists programme, Panzerhalle Atelier, Brandenburg, Berlin
- 1998 Vital Art - contemporary art show, Atlantis Gallery, London England
- Curated projects
- 2012 Natural Curiosity [ Lynn Wilson curator], Patriothall Gallery@WASPS Studios , Edinburgh Scotland
- Workshops
- 2012 Summer School laser Cutting, Jenny Smith Laser Cutting studio, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2010 Glass Casting with Keiko Mukaide
- Projects
- 2013 CARA atalogue the ART of Resistance www.cara1933.org
- https://assets.paddle8.com/806/329/assets/329-1385045688-Catalogue_Final%20LowRes.pdf
- 2012 -10 Beasts [artists booklet], Fruitmarket Gallery bookshop Edinburgh Scotland Know - 6 fold booklet, Fruitmarket Gallery bookshop, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2012 Catalogue A collection of the 2nd Yunnan International print exhibtion, Yunnan museum, China
- 2011 Never Mind the Captions Alistair Findlay www.luath.co.uk My ties with Mick screenprint Pg 151
- 2010 6 fold Text booklets [permanent collection], Scottish Poetry library, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2010 Art Collection, Glasgow Womens Art library, The Mitchell Glasgow Scotland
- 2010 Stuart Hall Library zine collection, Institute of International Visual Arts, INIVA Rivington Place London England
- 2008 Treasure postcards/Visual Voices of female artists worldwide, Arts for Global development Inc, Washington USA
- 2007 Reichstag Wrap Found Sound CD Atkinsons Atelier, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2006 Red Diaper and Face-it [artists booklets] Fruit Market Gallery bookshop, Edinburgh Scotland
- Prizes and awards
- 2023 Creative Scotland open fund grant
- 2019 Art360 Foundation an independent charity, support the development of an archive and artistic legacy.
- 2018 Karen Scopa memorial award Paisley Arts Institute Scotalnd
- 2017 Scottish National Portrait gallery Edinburgh Scotland
- Recent acquistions 2 prints
- 2013 Flora Wood Award, Visual Arts Scotland,Edinburgh, www.visualartsscotland.org
- 2009 Richard Demarco Prize, Edinburgh Peoples Festival, Edinburgh Scotland
- 2009 Whos' Who in Art the 33rd edition Hilmarton Manor Press