Alistair Crawford - Some Thoughts and Feelings

29 June - 9 October 2009

Born in 1945 in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Alistair Crawford first attended Glasgow School of Art before becoming a Lecturer in Textile Design at the University of Leeds (1968-71). Following this, he was given position of Senior Lecturer Graphic Design, Coventry Polytechnic (1971-73), before eventually taking the post as Lecturer in Graphic Art, at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1974.

At this point Alistair began publishing on art history and in 1990 became the first Professor of Art ever appointed in Wales. In 1994, at his instigation and under his leadership, the Art Department moved and became the new School of Art as it is known today. As Curator, and then Keeper of College Collections, he developed the art collections for teaching and research and founded the School of Art Gallery, Museum and Archive.

As an artist Alistair has exhibited internationally as a painter, printmaker and photographer, in over 280 exhibitions including 50 solo exhibitions. He is represented in over 60 public and corporate collections in Britain, Italy and the USA. In 1985, Alistair was awarded the National Eisteddfod of Wales Gold Medal in Fine Art, and has received many awards and distinctions including being invited Academician of the Royal Cambrian Academy and Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers.

As an art historian, Alistair has contributed to over 140 publications and has curated several touring photographic exhibitions in Britain, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and the USA. Alistair has published works on many artists and photographers, including John Thomas, Will Roberts, Kyffin Williams, Mario Giacomelli, Elio Ciol and Robert Macpherson. Recently he has also become known as a storyteller in his series of performances entitled Brief Exposure.

In this exhibition, Alistair Crawford exhibits his most recent drawings and paintings and demonstrates the continuity of his engagement with the Spirit of Place experienced from his life in Wales and travels abroad. By placing new works into the context of others taken from over 40 years of art practice, he turns a wide variety of different ideas, themes and approaches into an emotional and spiritual journey presented in 5 distinct exhibitions: Nostalgia, Pictures for a Small Room, Made from Wales, North by North West and Alterswerk.