Sandy Murphy RSW RGI PAI was born in Irvine, Ayrshire in 1956. He attended Glasgow School of Art 1976 – 1980 where he trained under James Robertson, Duncan Shanks and Barbara Rae. His subject matter now is mainly still life and the landscape of Ayrshire were he lives and works, he is known for his very painterly works of art, building layers of oil into a rich, luxuriant surface texture that adds a third dimension to the viewer’s experience. Although his subject is easily read, there is however a definite leaning towards abstraction, but it is the paint, it’s surface quality, texture, and the relationship of one colour to another that is his main interest. The painted surface becoming as important as the image it represents. This surface texture is often worked into, scraped down then repainted. This process being repeated to achieve the finished image of built up paint, surface marks and nuances of colour. This seductive use of the brush is particularly reminiscent of Joan Eardley’s Catterline landscapes; as with many of the best painters of his generation, it is the influence of her work along with that of Sir William Gillies that is most discernable in Sandy’s oils.