John Byrne (Printmaker)

John Byrne (1940–2023) was one of Scotland’s most celebrated and distinctive cultural figures: an artist, printmaker, playwright and theatre designer whose work combined technical virtuosity with wit, humanity and an unmistakable visual imagination.  Born and raised in Ferguslie Park, Paisley, Byrne studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1958 to 1963 after leaving work in a local carpet factory. Throughout a remarkable career spanning more than six decades, he worked across painting, drawing, printmaking, theatre design and writing, creating a body of work that remains deeply influential within Scottish culture.