Bill Buchanan (artist)

Bill Buchanan (7 October 1932 - 4 September 2018) was an artist; and former Director of the Glasgow School of Art. He was interim director from 1989 to 1990.[1]

Bill Buchanan
Director of the Glasgow School of Art
In office
1989 (1989)–1990 (1990)
Preceded byTom Pannell
Succeeded byJohn Whiteman
Personal details
Born(1932-10-07)October 7, 1932
DiedSeptember 4, 2018(2018-09-04) (aged 85)
NationalityScottish
EducationGlasgow School of Art
OccupationArtist, educationalist

Life edit

He was born in Trinidad in 1932 as William Menzies Buchanan. He studied at Glasgow School of Art.[2]

He married Elspeth and they had four children: Andy, Aji, Gavin and Janie. The marriage did not last and Buchanan remarried Alison.[2]

Alison and Bill lived at Allan Water, eight miles south from Hawick. However Alison died from breast cancer.[2]

He then moved to Edinburgh and later partnered with Ann until his death.[2]

Art edit

He joined the Scottish Arts Council in 1961.[3]

He became Head of the Department of Fine Arts at Glasgow School of Art in 1977. He contributed to many publications on the history of photography.[3]

He expanded the Fine Arts syllabus at the School.

In 1989 he was made the interim Director of Glasgow School of Art, taking over from Tom Pannell.[4]

He negotiated with St. Andrew's House a major investment with the Mackintosh building. He also edited the book Mackintosh's Masterwork in 1989, the standard work on the building.[2][5]

He was replaced by John Whiteman.[6]

Books edit

Along with Mackintosh's Masterworks, Buchanan also wrote a book on the pioneering Scottish photographer James Craig Annan; The Art of the Photographer.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ "Buchanan, William - Glasgow School of Art: Archives & Collections". gsaarchives.net.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Appreciation: Bill Buchanan, champion of the visual arts in Scotland for more than a quarter of a century".
  3. ^ a b "Obituary: Bill Buchanan (1932-2018) – British photographic history". britishphotohistory.ning.com. Retrieved 2 October 2023.[dead link]
  4. ^ "Pannell, Thomas - Glasgow School of Art: Archives & Collections". gsaarchives.net.
  5. ^ Buchanan, William (6 May 2004). "Mackintosh's Masterwork: The Glasgow School of Art". Rutgers University Press – via Amazon.
  6. ^ "Obituary - Bill Buchanan, former art director of the Scottish Arts Council, and head of fine art at Glasgow School of Art". The Herald. 16 October 2018.
  7. ^ Buchanan, Bill (31 December 1992). "The Art of the Photographer: J. Craig Annan". National Galleries of Scotland – via Amazon.