William Johnstone
OBE Born: 1897Place of Birth: Denholm
Died: 1981
William Johnstone, born the son of a farmer in the Scottish Borders, was at the forefront of British art world throughout the twentieth century. He became one of the first British artists to break with representation and paint purely abstract pictures; he also had evolutionary impact on art education. He was Principal at Camberwell College of Art from 1938- 1946 and then Principal at Central School of Arts and Crafts from 1947 to 1960. He developed the Basic Design course which stemmed from the Bauhaus and his instinct to defy convention and his eye for talented staff made Central a tour de force. Alan Davie, Anton Ehrenzweig, Patrick Heron, Earl Haig, John Minton, Eduardo Paolozzi, Victor Pasmore, Gordon Baldwin, William Turnbull all worked for him – which made for an explosive, creative mixture of artistic personalities. He received an OBE for his contribution to art education in 1954 then returned home to the Borders in 1960 to concentrate on painting and return to farming.
William Johnstone was the subject of the solo exhibition The Inner Eye at The Gallery in October 2020.
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Untitled 12 View details
William Johnstone
Untitled 12
c.1975ink on paperH:77.5cm W:57.5cm£950Untitled 6 View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Untitled 6
c. 1975ink on paperH:78cm W:58.5cm£950Untitled 14 View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Untitled 14
ink on paperH:77.5cm W:57cm£950Untitled 13 View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Untitled 13
ink on paperH:78cm W:59cm£950Untitled 11 View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Untitled 11
ink on paperH:77.5cm W:57cm£950Untitled 10 View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Untitled 10
ink on paperH:77.5cm W:57cm£950Untitled 9 View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Untitled 9
ink on paperH:77.5cm W:57cm£950Untitled 8 View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Untitled 8
ink on paperH:77.5cm W:57cm£950Untitled 1 View details-
Untitled 4 View details
William Johnstone
Untitled 4
ink on paperH:76cm W:56cmSoldUntitled 2 View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Untitled 2
ink on paperH:76cm W:56cmSoldUntitled 15 View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Untitled 15
c.1975ink on paperH:77cm W:57.5cmSoldUntitled, Red, Black Grey View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Untitled, Red, Black Grey
1975ink brush drawingH:77cm W:57cmSoldBlue Lagoon View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Blue Lagoon
1976oil on canvasH:83cm W:96cmSoldPortrait of Hope Scott View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Portrait of Hope Scott
1975oil on canvasH:76.5cm W:63.5cmScottish National Portrait GallerySelf Portrait View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Self Portrait
1978oil on canvasH:76cm W:63cmThe Fleming CollectionComposition View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Composition
c.1936scraperboardH:19.4cm W:14.3cmScottish National Gallery of Modern ArtCountryside in Wartime - Broomhill View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Countryside in Wartime - Broomhill
1923oil on boardH:73.7cm W:63.5cmSoldAbstract II View detailsWilliam Johnstone
Abstract II
ink on paperH:56cm W:76cmSoldInk Study with Purple View detailsLoading
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