Background
James Downie Robertson (Jimmy to his friends and students) was born in Cowdenbeath in 1931.
James Downie Robertson (Jimmy to his friends and students) was born in Cowdenbeath in 1931.
He played an influential role in the Scottish visual arts scene for nearly five decades. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a painter and entered the Glasgow School of Art in 1949 on a non-diploma course. In 1955, he was awarded a post-diploma and spent the summer of that year at Hospitalfield.
In 1959 he joined the staff of the Glasgow School of Art initially on a part-time basis, ultimately becoming a Senior Lecturer and temporary Head of Drawing and Painting before his retirement in 1996.
From 1996 to 1998, he held the post of Resident Painter at the Glasgow School of Artist His work is held many public and private collections including His Royal Highness Prince Phillip and The Queen Mother.
He died on 7 January 2010 after a short illness
In October 2010 a memorial exhibition was held at the Glasgow Art Club.
1962 Elected member of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour (RSW) 1971 Cargill Award (RGI) 1975 May Marshall Brown Award (RSW) 1980 Elected member of the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts 1981 Sir William Gillies Award (RSW) 1982 Cargill Award (RGI) 1985 Shell Expo Award 1987 Graham Munro Award (RSW) 1987 Millersville University award Millersville University of Pennsylvania, United States of America 1989 Elected full member of the Royal Scottish Academy (Republic of South Africa ) 1989 Scottish Amicable Award (Republic of South Africa ) 1993 Scottish Post Office Award (RSW) 1999 RSW Council Award (RSW) 2001 Dunfermline Building Society Prize (Republic of South Africa ) 2002 Honorary D.Litt, University of Glasgow 2010 Member of the British Empire Order of the British Empire.
