Joyce W. Cairns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joyce W. Cairns
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| Born | 1947 (age 77–78) |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Known for | Painting |
| Elected | Member of Royal Scottish Academy |
Joyce W. Cairns is a Scottish artist. She is known for her paintings and prints. Joyce Cairns lives in Broughty Ferry, Scotland. In 2018, she became the president of the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA).
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About Joyce Cairns
Joyce Cairns was born in Edinburgh in 1947. She grew up in North East Scotland. Her father was a school teacher.
Her Art Education
In 1966, Joyce Cairns went to Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen. She studied there until 1970. Later, she earned a Master of Art degree. This was at the Royal College of Art in London. She also studied at Goldsmiths' College.
Returning to Aberdeen
In 1976, Joyce Cairns returned to Aberdeen. She started teaching at Gray's School of Art. She moved to Footdee, a small fishing village. It is right by the harbour in Aberdeen. Large boats often pass by her house. These boats sometimes appear in her paintings.
Leading Art Groups
In 1985, Joyce Cairns became a member of the Royal Scottish Academy. She became a full member in 1998. In 2018, she made history. She was chosen as president of the Royal Scottish Academy. She was the first woman to hold this important position. From 1985 to 1988, she was also the first female president of the Aberdeen Artist’s Society.
Joyce Cairns stopped teaching in 2004. She wanted to focus only on her painting. She now lives in Broughty Ferry, near Dundee.
Her Art and Style
Joyce Cairns is known as a powerful figurative painter. This means her art shows real people or objects. Her paintings often share her own life story. They also explore feelings and thoughts.
Themes in Her Work
In the 1970s, mythology inspired her art. But later, her main themes became family, war, and memory. In 2006, the Aberdeen Art Gallery showed her exhibition called War Tourist. This show explored the difficult parts of war. It connected to her own family's history. She also traveled to places like Tunisia and Bosnia. She visited concentration camps in Eastern Europe. These trips helped her create 26 large paintings. They showed the impact of war.
Painting Techniques
Joyce Cairns' painting style is like Expressionism. This art style shows strong feelings. She uses iconography, which means she uses symbols. These symbols help tell a story in her art. She often works on large paintings. She prefers to use oil paints on wooden boards. She uses a grid to plan her artwork. This helps her arrange everything in her paintings.
Where to See Her Art
Joyce Cairns' art is in many public collections. These include universities and councils. You can also see her work in galleries. Some of these are the Compass Gallery and the Tatha Gallery in Newport-on-Tay. Her work has also been featured in many art books and magazines. One example is an interview in Studio International Contemporary Arts Magazine.
