Artists: David McFarlane

Paintings

David McFarlane was born in 1949 and worked in the shipyards from 1966 until 1978. He studied Art at James Watt College, Greenock and at Glasgow School of Art. His work has been seen in several exhibitions and is held in private collections in France, Holland and the United States.

David’s career as a artist has spanned over 28 years and throughout that time he has used many sources of inspiration from political to the irony of life. After serving  a five year apprenticeship as a Plater at Scott's Cartsdyke yard he had the opportunity to travel abroad working at his trade in France, Germany, Holland, Norway and Sweden.

In 1973, David  travelled to Brooklyn, New York working at the Navy Brooklyn Yard for a sixth month period. After only three weeks into the contract he decided, “this is the place”  the city really excited him and after the contract had several jobs from barman (Graduating from Bartender School!), commercial artist and 'Exterminator' - pest control, returning  to Scotland in 1976.

During his spare time David has always painted and sketched. In 1998 he decided to undertake a project about experiences working in the local shipyards. Rather than paint ships or units under construction he wanted to paint and hopefully show the  'character' of the men he knew. Starting with an idea he used  the title “Hard as Nails”. All of the paintings and sculptures were to depict the dignity and courage of the shipyard workers but overall to be true to their memory. In 1998 he created the mural shipbuilding on the Clyde for Glasgow Transport Museum.