Biography

James Cosgrove or Jimmy Cosgrove as he is more popularly known, is a Scottish artist and designer who was a member of staff before being appointed Deputy Director at Glasgow School of Art. He retired from academic life in 1999. His recent work in painting, drawing and collage is derived from travel in general and people and places in the west of Scotland in particular - including Arran and Ayrshire. He often collects written and graphic observations in Moleskine city notebooks - text in the form of short narratives often feature on painted postcards usually completed on location and posted home. Works are often in series such as the Arizona suite where images have been made in Arizona, New Mexico and the Four Corners. The way of life, crafts and culture of the Hopi and Navajo native Americans had an effect on his work.