Tom McKendrick DA RSW RGI
Tom McKendrick DA RSW RGI
Tom McKendrick was born in 1948 in the small Scotlish industrial Clydeside town of Clydebank. Growing up in this vibrantly historical town has had a marked influence in his work. Like most of his peers he entered shipbuilding aged 15 and served an apprenticeship as a 'Loftsman' in the famous John Browns Shipyard. The greater part of his apprenticeship was served on the Cunard liner QE2. In 1970 he moved on to Glasgow School of Art.
The roots of his paintings and sculptures are based in the processes of this industry. His creative energy and his fascination with the interaction between ideas and materials results in large multimedia shows. Tom's exhibitions contain a rich variety of media and techniques. Sound, objects and effects merge to create a highly charged aesthetic statement. Influenced by religious and archaeological art McKendrick is at ease blending ancient concepts and modern technology.
His exhibitions can be best described as 'layered', allowing the viewer to explore the many facets that merge into his subject matter. The need to create a single holistic visual impact dominates his exhibitions and the use of effects are employed to enhance and bind together the varied components and intensify the aesthetic atmosphere.
McKendricks techniques are as varied as the contents of his shows. He is at ease creating in clay, steel, paint, light, or indeed anything that the current project demands to bring it to fruition. Major exhibitions of acclaim include Blitz, Submarine, Rivet Temple, Iron, Heavier Than Air and Soldiers. Each has been the subject of a television documentary and enjoyed highly successful tours with record breaking gallery visitation levels. Primarily a painter his work is identified by its rich surface texture. His techniques lie at the extreme end of watercolour painting.
Exhibitions |
Mixed Exhibitions Design |
Collections Awards Other |
Publications/Articles/Programme's
Blitz - Commemorative photo history of the Clydebank Blitz; Quest for Invisibility, Glasgow Herald; Submarine Film - (purchased by Metropolitan Museum of Art New York) ; BBC Clydebuilt contributor; Radio - contributor to various programmes; Adviser/Contributor - Schools Art Programmes; Documentary on the Clydebank Blitz; Documentary on the Titanic; Documentary on the Royal Yacht Britannia - Presenter; ExS Iron Documentary; Rivet Temple, STV Talking Pictures Documentary; Underwater - Schools Programme Channel 4; Submarine - Documentary; Ready Set Go (4 programmes - Art Education); Educational Book Co - Writer/Illustrator; One Bomb BBC, contributor and advisor; Watercolour Masters publication, contributor; 33 Soldiers, publication to accompany the SOLDIERS Exhibition; Clydebank Blitz, 80th anniversary book. Two Scarves, Paperboy magazine 2023.