Hello. A very warm welcome to my web page.

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Artist C.V

2019 – September, Started Glasgow School Of Art / Sculpture & Environmental Art Degree.

2017 – September, Founded a studio space in Glasgow’s Eastend, now housing 17 artists ‘Department A’ G40 2QT

2015 – December / May 2016 – Japan, Self-directed research tour.
2015 – November 2/3rd – The Old Hairdressers / Blackalicious by Gillies & Carr.

2015 – May – The Steamie Galleries Govan Hill Baths Glasgow / Curator & Organisor
2014 – December – The Ceilidh Place Ullapool Solo Exhibit
2014 – November – BarTen Glasgow / Group show
2014 – May – Art On The Hill / Organized & Curated 100 Artists Exhibit in Glasgow
2013 – December – Touched By Scotland / Christmas Exhibition
2013 – December – 18th Euskal Denda Basque Artisan Show / Invited Scottish Craft Representative Guest Artist
2013 – December – Organized Brightest Star Charity Art Exhibition with Glasgow Crafter’s Co-op
2013 – September / October – Merge / 42 Artist Group Exhibition at Skypark Business Centre Glasgow
2013 – July – RockPaperVideo Collective Group Exhibition @DNA Hub
2013 – May – Braw / Offshore Group Show @Gibson Street Annual Gala
2013 – April~May – Roots / Solo Exhibition Veneer Gallery Glasgow
2013 – April – Exhibtion @Christos Gallery Glasgow Easter Week
2013 – March – Juno Design Gallery Dunoon / Guest Joint Exhibition
2013 – February – Good Spirits Company Glasgow / Joint Exhibition
2012 – December – Sky Park Business Center Group Exhibition
2011 / 2003 – Worked with Christian Shaw Stained Glass Conservation & Restoration Studio Edinburgh
2010 – August – Contemporary International Art Group Exhibition @Edinburgh Festival
2007 – May – Inverness Homes & Gardens Exhibiton
2006 – April – Joined Exclusively Highlands Craft Group Annual Highland shows until 2011
2005 – October – Banchory Scout Hall Solo Exhibiton
2005 – June – Nairn Arts Society Solo Exhibiton
1997 – May – Inverness Floral Hall / Ink Drawing Exhibition

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My name is Peter Gillies, from the Scottish Highland capital Inverness & currently based in Glasgow.

I have always drawn, growing up where I did laid the foundations for a love of nature & the Scottish landscape. Not wanting to pursue the Art School direction I studied Glass Work & found work in a Stained Glass Restoration Studio in Edinburgh.
In 2005 after a lull in contracts I returned to the Highlands to dedicate some time to painting as I had not done any since I finished High School education.  This time spent focused on Art work resolved my desire to make Art my full time living.

Since then I have rented local halls to put on my own small exhibitions, worked as a street trader in Edinburgh, continued with the restoration work sporadically as it arises and at the start of 2012 I moved to Glasgow to focus on my art full time.

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My Art –

Its mostly tree related, this is without question a result of growing up half way down Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland and spending a lot of time walking around the Inverfarigaig Forest, and the daily traveling up & down the road to Inverness to receive the prescribed ‘education’…. turns out the real education was looking out the bus window & in a tape cassette player.

I have pretty strong ideas about how to be creative & the process of creating a painting. Also my thoughts that everyone can draw….

“as long as the base creative idea is solid, then regardless of skills that idea should be visible in the creation. If you can think it (visualize it), you can draw it.  Your skills will improve with time & technique development, the ability to conceive grander ideas will come with that development but its the existence of that basic creative flame we ALL hold that that makes everyone an artist. Flame development is the key”.

So that was the thinking, over time you create a mental tool box of ideas & techniques, this starts from the first time you scribble crayons on paper when your a kid. But you have to keep that box open or it closes and locks up but I think its always there to be re-opened.
I believe its our base human nature to want to create (in whatever way music/song/art) but the social ‘system’ we seem to have globally perused makes that option not so easy to follow.

Tapping into the inner creativity?  I think there is nothing more than a positive force & a negative force. These are rivers and as a artist you can tap into the river and it flows through you. The artist is merely the transmitter for the positive, or negative, energy.
Sometimes you hit it (or i guess it hits you), strangely you never realize until you come out of it, the “i was totally zoned just there” moment.  I’m not sure you can be aware or deliberately tap this force, it just happens more frequently the more time you spend creating.

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My Glass –

As for my glass work after several years training in restoration & conservation I have tried to take traditional techniques and meld them with a new contemporary vision.

From the sketch book, to the kiln & workbench direct to your home my Stained Glass designs are all hand painted, constructed & finished with the care of an artist & craftsman. Each hanger is individual, colors chosen specifically for each and nothing leaves my studio without my 100% confidence and satisfaction in the design & finish. I started making these in 2003 and have gone through many evolution’s to reach the standard of today’s product.

The difficulty of presenting my work to you in online has raised many problems. The movement of the item, and slight changes in texture & refraction of light from the viewers angle, the sun and the play of light.  All these things I cant convey in a few photographs so I have included each hanger with a number of different photos. Each one chosen to try show all the elements I see & you’ll see in the home.
But the camera is never as good as the eye, and coupled with my general lack of advanced photographic skills these be the results.
I spend a lot of time with these items and I cant possibly convey years of observation in a simple description. Safe to say it will bring you many years of delight, looking as good today as it will in 60 yrs time. And even after years of enjoyment will still present a new impression unexpectedly.

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One of the highlights from this year was this comment I received on the blog.

Patricia February 28, 2012 at 2:39 pm

“I have a piece of your work (a hanging) with a painting in the center of a branch of spruce or spruce?. Some friends bought it for me for my 70th Birthday I am thrilled with it !! They are from Inverness not sure where they bought it but your web site was in the parcel. My Birthday was January and I have been meaning to go on site and have a look at your web site and here I am. I was head of Art at a big comprehensive school in Rotherham and know what a struggle it can be to really get going.Keep up the good work and every success for the future. Pat”

That folks is what it is all about.

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