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 Welcome to Paisley Art Institute

 

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   Supporting Artists since 1876

 

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Looking forward to next April

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We are looking forward to next April. We will celebrate 150 years as The Art Institute of Paisley, since 1876 till 2026. In 2017, we were informed of a grand upturn we would enjoy. In 2018, we had a splendid exhibition, not realising if would be our last. We then noticed One Ren had gone quiet and by accident, some teachers, seeing round the Secret Collection, realised and had confirmed that the galleries were all to contain museum objects. There was no longer to be facility for temporary exhibitions!

We still contend we have a contract, for 3 months use for our annual Exhibition, and also, that it had long been the custom and use. The library has been given alternative updated space, yet we still wait patiently to know where in Paisley we can display again our historic collection to inspire Today's living artists. Many groups have been preparing their 'stories' to include in the long awaited Museum. We are waiting expectantly, this coming year. After all, the museum is about Paisley's Heritage and that is precisely what we are a large part of!

Meanwhile, a selection of our cherished historic works will always be in pride of place, at our splendid A Listed new base in Glasgow Art Club with its stunning Mackintosh Gallery. Membership of both PAI and The Art Club are coming near to the start of a new year at the end of October. Come visit and enjoy! Staff will be delighted to explain the benefits of membership.

Quint-Essential Art

 

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A must see exhibition at the fabulous Glasgow Art Club, Bath Street, Glasgow. Quint-Essential Art is an exhibition of five of Glasgow's finest Artists including Irene McCann PAI, Margaret Johnston, Joe Broadley PAI. John Rowland and Florence Sinclair. The exhibition runs until September 12th and is well worth a visit.

 

Colin MacKean

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We, at PAI, are deeply saddened to hear of the unexpected death of our dear treasurer, Colin MacKean. He was his normal cheerful self at a recent meeting and he has worked hard for 4 years to help ensure the continuity of his family's beloved PAI. We are glad he was awarded last year for his efforts, an HPAI, and happy he lived to see, this year, the establishment of an annual MacKean award.

His ancestors were generous benefactors to Paisley, and having a keen eye for quality art, gave some of the major works to our collection.
He himself restored and donated to us a fine portrait of JAD MacKean, the Paisley Burgh treasurer, involved in giving further galleries to the town, which is proudly displayed at Glasgow Art Club. He will be sorely missed and our thoughts are with his family at this time.

Funeral arrangements,
Friday 22nd Aug, 1pm at Clyde Coast and Garnock Crematorium then 2.15 at Kilmacolm Parish church, high st, Kilmacolm.

Street sweeper artist

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When Allan Richardson was 17 he wanted to go to art school, but one day he returned home from school to find his dad had secured him an interview for a job with the council. "All I wanted to do was my art," said Allan. "But my dad said to me, 'you can do your art but you have to have something to keep you'."

Allan went to the interview and the following Monday he started work as a "litter boy", going round the streets and emptying the bins. Painting took a back seat over the next decade as he worked in various council jobs before settling on sweeping the streets of Glasgow's west end. For 30 years, until his recent retirement, Allan kept the city's Byres Road and its surrounding streets clean but he also made sure he had his paint palette and sketchbook in his pocket.

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Read the full story here

 

 

Collection of 136th artwork

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To all members who submitted to our 136th annual exhibition please collect any remaining work as soon as possible. The Art Club is hanging it's next show Summer Brilliance and you are welcome to come to enjoy the opening on Saturday 7th at 2pm -5pm.

The Exhibition was a resounding success achieving the highest sales and enjoying city footfall.

Being part of the 'Mackintosh trail' benefits us by visiting tour groups who are bowled over at the fine gallery features and our huge array of styles of art displayed.

Free painting demonstration

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Free Live Art Demonstration by Yvonne Taylor.

Yvonne is a graduate of Glasgow School of Art, winning the American Friends of the GSA award. In the same year she was one of 66 artists worldwide awarded Sotheby’s International Artist of the Year status with exhibitions in Tel Aviv and Chicago.

Yvonne is an artist member of Paisley Art Institute, Glasgow Art Institute and the Glasgow Society of Women Artists.

For this demonstration Yvonne will be working with acrylic and palette knives, undertaking a subject that deals with human presence, absence and the memories that a chair can evoke.

Thursday 29th May 11am Glasgow Art Club

Entry is free. Please register your place at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling us on 0141 248 5210.

Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

A Betta Fish has a new home

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This stunning Oil on Canvas painting ' A Betta Fish' by PAI Artist Member Les Donaghy is off to a new home. Les was delighted to hear that his painting has beeen sold at the PAI's 136th Annual Exhibition which is in it's last week at the Glasgow Art Club. It's the first time Les has sold a work at the PAI exhibition, and we're sure it won't be the last.

There is still time to view the painting which is in the club's Mackintosh Gallery (no. 64) so don't miss this opportunity to see it and many of the other fabulous works before the event finishes on 31st May. Les's second work at the exhibition 'My Bloody Valentine' (no. 395) can also be viewed in the club's Walton Gallery.

PAI in the news

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The PAI 136th is in the news - the exhibition is currently running at The Glasgow Art Centre in Bath St up to 31st May, and is all on one level for easy access.

PAI Secretary Anne Hargan said: ' The launch event was absolutely packed, we were glad to welcome so many people. We have over 500 pieces on display and for sale with an amazing range of of styles and prices to suit everyone '

PAI, one of Scotland's most prominent art institutions moved to Bath Street following a disagreement with Renfrewshire Council over display space at the Paisley Museum.

Anne shared: ' We were absolutely devastated to leave the premises in Paisley after almost 150 years, but we are delighted to join the Glasgow Art Club - the new gallery space is working really well for us and we are enjoying meeting new people. It is nice when when people come and say they used to visit us in Paisley and they were glad to find us again '

This year PAI also introduced the MacKean Award, named after the brothers James (JAD) and William MacKean. James MacKean was a starch manufacturer from Paisley who also became Paisley Burgh Treasurer, and was a collector of artworks, many of which he gave to the PAI.

James MacKean's grandson Colin MacKean is the PAI's current treasurer. Paisley Art Institute was happy to create the MacKean Award in recognition of the contributions made by the family to Paisley and Paisley Art Institute over many years

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The full news article originally appeared in the Paisley Daily Express

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