William Crosbie
1915 Born in Hankow, China 1926-27 Crosbie family returned to Glasgow from China 1932-35 Studied at Glasgow School of Art 1935 Awarded Haldane Travelling Scholarship 1935-39 Travelled to Paris Entered Ecole des Beaux-Arts Studied under Fernand Leger who introduced him to JD Fergusson & Margaret Morris 1937 Visited Spain during Civil War Travelled to Dongder, Egypt to work on the Temple of Bulls Studied at Athens College of Art 1938 Mural in Empire Exhibition, Glasgow 1939 Set up studio in Ruskin Lane, Glasgow One-man show at 12 Ruskin Lane 1940s Designed sets for Earth Shapers Ballet 1942 Dain Do Eimhir – Illustrations for Sorley McLean’s poetry, published by William MacLellan, Glasgow 1944 First one man show at Annan’s (aged 29). He continues to show annually at Annan’s until 1948 1947 Daughter Pauline is born 1946 Commissioned to paint a mural at the entrance of the Britain Can Make It exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London Painting exhibited in Brook Street Gallery, London alongside Anne Estelle Rice, Augustus John, John Piper and Christopher Wood, attracting critical attention. Crosbie remembers meeting Robert Colquhoun & Robert MacBryde during the exhibition Commissioned by Dr O.A. Mavor (Governor of Victoria Infirmary)to produce a series of paintings of Victoria Infirmary and its work. 44 watercolours of the hospital were exhibited at Annan’s in Glasgow 1947 Joint exhibition at Reid and Lefevre with John Armstrong 1948 First exhibition with Aitken Dott Ltd, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh 1950 Article in Vogue on Scottish Talents. Two photographs of Crosbie were published 1951 Commission for mural painting at Kelvin Hall Exhibition of Industrial Power. Crosbie painted a fluorescent mural – a symbolic illustration that the basic source of all power is the sun. 1952 Exhibition at Connell & Sons, Glasgow 1953 Elected Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy 1956 Commission for mural at new Duncanrig School, Eat Kilbryde Show at new premises acquired by RGI at 13 Blythswood Square, Glasgow. The first series of one man shows sponsored by RGI included Crosbie’s drawings of Brydekirk (near Annan) and clowns. JD Kelly was president of RGI at this time and the show was opened by Sir William Hutchison 1957 Show of paintings from summer spent painting in Balfron. Held at Auchendarroch, Balfron 1960 Walking and painting tour of the Middle East in the hope of meeting up with his brother Glen, a naval attache at the British Embassy at Anhara. 1962 Commission for a wood carving of Christ for the Scottish Episcopal Church of Holy Name, Cumbernauld 1965 John D. Kelly Gallery, Glasgow 1966 Romart Gallery, Edinburgh 1970 Royal College of Science and Technology (now Strathclyde University), Glasgow Annan, Glasgow
1972
Exhibition at John D. Kelly, Glasgow and Retrospective at Lillie Art Gallery. Milngavie, Glasgow Elected Academician at the Royal Scottish Academy Given a parrot by daughter Pauline, which he names Cambridge as Pauline is currently at university in Cambridge Exhibition at John D. Kelly Gallery, Glasgow Portrait commission to commemorate the retirement of Sir Charles Wilson after 15 years as principle of Glasgow University William Crosbie Retrospective Exhibition, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh Major retrospective exhibitions held at Ewan Mundy Fine Art, Glasgow and Perth Museum & Art Gallery
1973 1974 1976
1980 1990
Exhibition History: Solo Exhibitions 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1950 1955 1956 1957 1965 1966 1970 1972 1976 1980 1990 2015 2016
‘Chez Henriette’ Restaurant (Rue de la Grande Chaumiere), Paris ‘Anderlect’ Restaurant, Brussels Annan Gallery, Glasgow Annan Gallery, Glasgow Annan Gallery, Glasgow Annan Gallery, Glasgow Annan Gallery, Glasgow Annan Gallery, Glasgow Annan Gallery, Glasgow Annan Gallery, Glasgow Annan Gallery, Glasgow The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh The Scottish Glasgow, Edinburgh Connell & Sons, Glasgow Annan Gallery, Glasgow Opening Exhibition, December 1956, Blythswood Gallery Paintings of Balfron Region, Auchendarroch, Balfron John D. Kelly Gallery, Glasgow Romart Gallery, Edinburgh Royal College of Science and Technology (now Strathclyde University), Glasgow Annan, Glasgow John D. Kelly, Glasgow Retrospective, Lillie Art Gallery. Milngavie, Glasgow John D. Kelly Gallery, Glasgow William Crosbie Retrospective Exhibition, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh Ewan Mundy Fine Art, Glasgow Perth Museum & Art Gallery William Crosbie Centenary, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh Works on Paper, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
Murals 1938 Two major scale murals, Empire Exhibition, Glasgow 1939-40Maryhill Mutual Service Club, Doncaster Street, Glasgow 1940 Glasgow Central Police Headquarters 1944 Bishopton Mural, Renfrewshire 1946 Alexandra Palace, London 1946 Plantation Club, Clifford Lane, Glasgow
1947 1948 1950 1950 1951 1960
Education Liaison Officer’s Office, Glasgow Art Galleries Britain Can Make It, Victoria and Albert Museum, London Two major scale murals, Community Service Hall, Glasgow Festival of Britain, London Festival of Industrial Power, Kelvinhall, Glasgow Glasgow Industrial Exhibition, Glasgow
The only murals surviving to date are: 1956 Main entrance hall, Secondary School at East Kilbride, Lanarkshire 1967 Entrance portico bas relief, Victoria Drive Secondary School Extension, Glasgow Church Paintings: Buckieburn, Stirlingshire, 1939-40 St Margaret’s Polmadie, Glasgow (Baptistry), 1945 Stations of the Cross, Archbishop’s Oratory, Diocesian Office Stations of the Cross, St Lawrence’s Greenock Reredos, St Cuthbert’s, Burnbank, Blantyre Reredos, St Bonaventure and altar front, Resurrection and Entombment St Columkilles, Rutherglen, Lady Altar ceiling painting Reredos, St Michael’s, Linlithgow Christ in Majesty, wood carving, commissioned by the Scottish Episcopal Church of the Holy Name, New Town of Cumbernauld, 1962 Public Collections: Perth Museum & Art Gallery, Perth & Kinross Council McClean Museum & Art Gallery University of Glasgow, Hunterian Art Gallery Dundee Art Gallery & Museums Collection South Ayrshire Council Glasgow Museums Maggie’s, Glasgow University of Strathclyde Newport Museum & Art Gallery National Trust for Scotland Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums Royal Scottish Academy of Arts and Architecture Paisley Museum & Art Gallery National Galleries of Scotland Gracefield Arts Centre British Museum, Department of Prints & Drawings The Royal Collection Scottish Arts Council Museum and Art Gallery, Newport, Gwent Museum and Art Gallery, New Zealand Sydney Art Gallery, Australia