I have written a Joan Eardley article, titled ‘From the City to the Sea’, in the May 2026 issue of Scottish Field. The issue is dedicted to ‘the Scotswomen changing our world for the better’. Although born in West Sussex, Eardley (1921-63) moved to Scotland when she was a teenager and lived there for the rest of her life. She is recognised as one of the country’s most important artists of the twentieth century.
in the May 2026 issue of Scottish Field
The City
Eardley will be familiar to regular visitors to this website. She trained at Glasgow School of Art and Hospitalfield College of Art between 1940 and 1948. Five years later she took on a studio at 204 St James Road in the Townhead district of Glasgow. Her images of the local children, whom she enjoyed photographing, sketching and painting, capture a way of life and community since lost. One of the best known is Street Kids of c.1950 in the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. It features in the newly opened exhibition Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Two.
oil on canvas laid on board, 103 x 74cm
National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh: Purchased with Funds given by an Anonymous Donor in 1964 (c) Artist’s Estate
The Sea
Eardley visited Catterline, a fishing village on the north-east coast of Scotland, for the first time in 1951. It became a new stimulus where she could depict the immensitives of nature in the open air. In 1954 she rented a cottage at No.1 South Row and thereafter split her time between Glasgow and Catterline. Paintings such as Summer Sea of 1962 reveal how Eardley was able to capture the brilliant light, temptuous weather and the power of her natural surroundings on a large-scale. It was presented to the Royal Scottish Academy as her Diploma work, following her election to the rank of full Academician in 1963 and not long after her premature death later that year. It can be seen in the exhibition Joan Eardley: The Sea at Catterline at The Granary Gallery in Berwick-upon-Tweed as part of the RSA’s bicentenary project RSA 200.
oil and paper on board, 122 x 183cm
Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture, Edinburgh: Diploma Work Deposit 1964 (
c) Artist’s Estate
A Joan Eardley Talk
After you have bought your copy of Scottish Field and read the Joan Eardley article, you might like to join me in Berwick-upon-Tweed when I give the talk ‘Collecting Joan Eardley: From the Highlands to Hampshire‘ for The Granary Gallery on 24 June 2026.
For another Joan Eardley article please click on this link, she features in the blog ‘School’s out for Summer’ here and also in ‘Researching Women Artists‘.
