Lachlan Goudie (b.1976, Glasgow) is a Scottish artist based in London, who is also a published author and broadcaster whose work bridges painting, storytelling and cultural history. Equally at home in the studio, on location or in front of the camera, Goudie has become one of the most engaging public voices in British art, while maintaining a distinguished practice as a painter of landscape, portraiture, industry and still life.
Born and raised in Glasgow, Goudie was schooled in painting from an early age by his father, the celebrated artist Alexander Goudie. The legacy of the Glasgow Boys, with their emphasis on tonal control, realism and direct observation, profoundly shaped his approach to painting. He studied English at Christ’s College, Cambridge before undertaking Fine Art training at Camberwell College of Art in London. A passionate advocate for the enduring value of craft and technique in contemporary art, Goudie combines rigorous draughtsmanship with a bold and expressive use of colour.
The scope of his artistic practice is remarkably broad. Working across portraiture, still life, landscape and large-scale industrial subjects, Goudie’s paintings are driven by curiosity, observation and an instinct for narrative. Frequent painting trips throughout Britain and abroad have seen him sketch and paint in shipyards, forests, quarries, steelworks, oil rigs and satellite laboratories, documenting the relationship between people, place and industry with both energy and empathy. His recent exhibition From the Forest to the Forge brought together over fifteen years of work exploring Britain’s industrial and natural landscapes, from the Clyde shipyards and Port Talbot steelworks to ancient woodlands and coastal environments.
Goudie is particularly fascinated by the intersection between human endeavour and landscape. Whether depicting the immense scale of naval engineering or the intricate structure of ancient trees, his paintings search for what he describes as the “industrial sublime”, moments where awe, beauty and labour converge. Through expressive mark-making and vibrant colour, he transforms shipyards, scaffolding, machinery and working environments into dynamic compositions that celebrate both craftsmanship and resilience.
Alongside his studio practice, Goudie is widely recognised as an acclaimed arts broadcaster and author. His landmark BBC series The Story of Scottish Art introduced audiences to Scotland’s artistic heritage with warmth, insight and accessibility, later leading to the publication of his acclaimed book of the same title. He has since written and presented numerous documentaries for the BBC including The Art of Witchcraft, Stanley Spencer: The Colours of the Clyde, Awesome Beauty: The Art of Industrial Britain and Mackintosh: Glasgow’s Neglected Genius. He has also appeared as a judge on The Big Painting Challenge and as presenter of BBC4’s Life Drawing Live!.
Goudie regularly exhibits in Edinburgh and London, and in 2013 he was elected a member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in London. Across painting, writing and broadcasting, his work is united by a deep belief in the transformative power of art, and its ability to connect people to history, landscape, imagination and one another.
