William Scott

William Scott was a prominent abstract painter from Northern Ireland, renowned for his themes of still life, landscape, and female nudes. 

Biography of William Scott

William Scott was born in Greenock, Scotland, in 1913. His family relocated to Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, in 1924. There, he began art classes with local teacher Kathleen Bridle. In 1928, he enrolled at the Belfast School of Art, and three years later, he moved to London to study at the Royal Academy Schools, initially in the sculpture department before transitioning to painting.

In 1937, he married fellow student Mary Lucas, and shortly after, they traveled to Italy and France. In 1938, Scott exhibited at the Paris Salon d'Automne.

Just days before the outbreak of the Second World War, the Scotts left France, first moving to Dublin, then to London, and eventually settling in Somerset. The artist joined the army in July 1942, initially serving with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps before becoming a lithographic draughtsman with the Royal Engineers. Despite not being demobilized until January 1946, he continued to paint and exhibit his work in both group and solo shows throughout the war.

After the war, William Scott became the Senior Painting Master at the Bath Academy of Art in Corsham Court, Wiltshire. He made frequent trips to Cornwall, befriending many artists of the St Ives Group. His work during this period focused mainly on still life.

Scott's work evolved towards non-figuration in the early 1950s, and his first solo show at the Hanover Gallery in London in 1953 featured several abstract paintings. An extended visit to North America in 1953 resulted in friendships with artists such as Rothko and de Kooning, influencing his awareness of Abstract Expressionism.

By 1956, Scott had gained significant success, allowing him to cease full-time teaching. He continued to exhibit internationally, representing Great Britain at the Venice Biennale in 1958 and winning the Sanbra (International Critics) Purchase Prize at the 1961 São Paulo Bienal.

The 1960s saw Scott's retrospective exhibitions in Zurich, Hannover, Berne, and Belfast, alongside major shows in London, Tokyo, Paris, Brussels, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Rotterdam. In 1963, he accepted a 12-month residency in Berlin offered by the Ford Foundation. He was made a CBE in 1966 and received honorary doctorates from the Royal College of Art, Queen's University Belfast, and Trinity College Dublin.

In 1989, after living with Alzheimer's disease for several years, William Scott passed away at his home in Somerset.