Alasdair Taylor Artist

23/07/2026

03/06/2026

"Alasdair Taylor was a great listener. He heard your every word and it resonated but also fired him. He had no option – he was always so fully engaged, thus before too long he was off: Oh dammit James, a point of order and in he came.

"When we value art we have to bring what we are ourselves, we value not only the work created by our artists, but the ordinary lives of ourselves and our communities: the living reality, a reality that must also includes a world of absences, both personal and beyond. I see this in Alasdair Taylor’s work; struggle and conflict, and grief, and loss, both personal and public. Individuals giving their own expression of that, because they cannay do anything else. That was who he is: always present in his work; so too the people and community."

Just when you thought you couldn't nail what it was that affected you about art, award-winning Scottish author James Kelman, writes this about his artist friend Alasdair Taylor.

From Bella Caledonia.

https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/06/03/an-alasdair-taylor-retrospective/

03/06/2026

Highlights from the opening of the Alasdair Taylor exhibition Dunoon Burgh Hall last Saturday.

01/06/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who came along to the opening of ‘Alasdair Taylor Artist’ Dunoon Burgh Hall on Saturday.

There was a full ferry of Taylor-related family and friends en route to the hall. Prosecco was handed out…

‘Alasdair Taylor Artist’ marks what would have been the Highland-born artist’s 90th year. Alasdair died in 2007 after a career which spanned five decades, moving through many explorative phases.

In this reel, we have included a snapshot of award-winning author, James Kelman’s opening speech, which was a soaring testament to the ‘intense realism’ of place, which his friend Alasdair brought to his work after living for several decades at Portencross in north Ayrshire.

As Jim noted, ‘from Northbank Cottage you see to the northeast coast of Arran…’

He described Alasdair’s works as ‘wild paintings… in perpetual movement’, speaking of many 3am conversations with the Alasdair, full of ‘intellectual exchange… where the meaning of life is next to the tumbler’ and the ‘truth is revealed’.

The exhibition panels delve into Alasdair’s life and work, opening out his life like a jet of spray paint; a medium Alasdair used in the 1970s, to great effect – many years before Banksy took it up.

The Glasgow School of Art Exhibitions Director Jenny Brownrigg attended the Alasdair Taylor opening.

In a wonderful Instagram post, Jenny explains that Alasdair’s ‘later handling of paint and colour was greatly inspired by CoBrA.’

She continues: “There were two connections here - Annelise Taylor (née Marquard), Alasdair Taylor’s wife, had studied on a ceramics course under Asger Jorn. Alasdair Taylor had learnt more of Jorn’s work during a period that the family lived in Denmark. It is pleasing to see the influence of CoBrA in Ayrshire, with works such as ‘Self Portrait’ (1996) including a collaged newspaper clipping with headline ‘Hunterston radiation is high, says survey’.”

Another friend, Malcolm Dickson, who many will know through his work at Street Level Photoworks, gave a fantastic speech too and we’ll post that soon.

The exhibition is on until 18 July 2026. Check Dunoon Burgh Hall sites for opening times.

29/05/2026

Open to all Saturday 30 May at 1pm!

Alasdair Taylor Retrospective

Join us for the official exhibition opening on Saturday 30 May from 1–3pm.

Booker Prize-winning author James Kelman, a friend of Alasdair Taylor, will give an introduction alongside Malcolm Dickson of Street Level Photoworks

All are welcome. Free entry, with donations welcome.

The exhibition continues until 18 July, open Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–4pm.

A selection of works will also be available for purchase.

Alasdair Taylor Artist

25/05/2026

It’s just under a week until the Alasdair Taylor exhibition opens Dunoon Burgh Hall.

The exhibition, to mark Alasdair’s 90th year, opens on Saturday 30 May and runs until Saturday 18 July.

Alasdair’s daughter Jean Camplisson took a wee run across the Firth of Clyde from Gourock to Dunoon with artworks destined for the exhibition.

Her neighbour Eric Whitfield came on the trip as assistant art handler.

A grand day doon the watter for a sail.

Some of Alasdair’s finest works will be on display.

Many of the works will be for sale.

11.00am - 3.00pm, Wednesday to Saturday.

Dunoon Burgh Hall 195 Argyll Street, Dunoon, PA23 7DD

Free, but donations welcomed for Dunoon Burgh Hall.

11/05/2026

The Alasdair Taylor exhibition, to mark his 90th year, opens Dunoon Burgh Hall on Saturday 30 May from 1pm to 3pm.

All welcome to attend.

This portrait was taken of Alasdair in 1974.

This painting is To Gior Gione July 1973.

Alasdair Taylor at Dunoon Burgh Hall

Saturday 30 May to Saturday 18 July 2026

11am to 3pm, Wednesday to Saturday
Free, but donations welcome

www.alasdairtaylor.art

08/05/2026

The Alasdair Taylor exhibition opens at Dunoon Burgh Hall on Saturday 30 May.

It marks what would have been Alasdair’s 90th year. Some of his finest works will be on display.

Many of the works will be for sale.

The exhibition runs from Saturday 30 May to Saturday 18 July.

11.00am - 3.00pm, Wednesday to Saturday.

Dunoon Burgh Hall 195 Argyll Street, Dunoon, PA23 7DD

Free, but donations welcomed