Libby Anderson

I graduated from Glasgow School of Art and worked as a portrait painter on cruise liners around the Americas for a year before setting up a studio in Helensburgh. Later graduating from Moray House I taught art in Secondary schools in the Lothians and Strathclyde while exhibiting mostly in Scottish galleries.

From then till now: I won the Nancy Graham prize at the SSWA, Edinburgh and had work accepted for the Paisley Drawing competition [three times], Morrisons Portrait Competition, Royal Moysten Open in Wales, was selected for the Noble Grossart Exhibition Glasgow, shown at the Laing landscape competition Glasgow, Scottish Portrait Gallery Exhibition of Scottish Comedians, and The Menier Gallery Exhibition London inspired by Frida Kahlo.

Living as I do in Tayvallich Argyll, I am a member of Artmap Argyll, and recently contributed as artist of the week with their ‘Instagram Takeover’ showcase of individual artists within the group. As a member of the Glasgow Society of Women Artists my work is in hand for their next real exhibition as has the Paisley Art Institute for this year’s online summer exhibition 25th July.

Working from Tayvallich in Argyll I continue painting portraits in oil, pastel or watercolour but increasingly making more personal work with mixed media techniques. I have used this process for a long time and for my most recent work of swimmers underwater. A ‘wild swimmer’ myself including through the last winter months I find the visual aspect of this experience very moving and inspiring.

I marble watercolour paper in the bathtub floating oil paint on the water then lay watercolour paper on top. For this year’s PAI submission I worked on this ground with pastel and watercolour. Previously I used a similar technique with pastel for a self-portrait as well as paintings in watercolour included in the Paisley Art Institute exhibition.