Artists who have been identified as contributors, and for whom articles are in course of construction include Ian Spence (leaving year 1962), Stewart Mackinnon – also a film maker (1965) and Emily Hogarth (2003) There is also a category for a miscellany of artistic work, from those with just one or two entries.
The Regent Road campus of the post-war period featured a number of high quality art teachers, Including Nigel McIsaac, who is frequently referred to as an inspirational teacher. Ian Spence, the third artist named in our article, is one such pupil. Many artists have been nurtured with, and continued beyond school, and this topic explores their work.
Jennifer Matthews
Jennifer Matthews won artistic awards at school in 1981 – prizes for Fabric and fashion design, along with the R S Watson Prize for Architectural Drawing. Visit her own website, and have a look at a fascinating 20 minute interview recorded at the Ballater Gallery here.
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Janet Melrose
Janet Melrose won a William Rutherford Bequest award for Art in her final year in 1982. Examples of her art can be seen here, and another, where she is described as ‘A challenger, a questioner, a risk-taker‘, can be seen here. Her abstract art is an interesting counterpoint with Jenny Matthews studied watercolours.
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Ian Spence
Ian left Royal High in 1962, then attended Edinburgh College of Art, subsequently qualifying as an Architect then a Town Planner. He ended his working career as deputy head of Planning at Edinburgh Council in 2008, giving himself plenty of spare time to enjoy hobby painting, and in 2022 become President of Edinburgh Rotary.
He cites his main influences at school as art teachers Nigel McIsaac and Shand Hutchison, inherited an artistic gene from his father which he has donated to one of his daughters (and a grand-daughter), and his favourite subjects include family portraits, landscapes and architecture. For an extended biography, click here.
Ian’s portfolio shows a includes a variety of images – portraits, landscapes and interiors.
Click on any of the images below to enable a full screen slideshow.
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Emily Hogarth
Emily (leaving year 2003) has recently been the subject of an RHS Club biography project. She was awarded the prestigious job of creating the Scottish first minister’s Christmas card in 2021. Emily’s website explains her career: Since completing her masters in Edinburgh Collage of Art in 2008 Emily has been working as a self-employed illustrator and surface designer. Her distinctive illustrations and bold designs have provided Emily with success over the past few years.
Her designs have been seen in The National Museum of Scotland, Cadbury’s Flake ‘Allure’ as well as the Nivea Pearl and Beauty global campaign. Since graduation she has worked with: Nivea, Cadbury’s, Red Magazine, Lloyds Bank, Jasper Conran for Debenhams; Bebaroque; Graham and Brown; Tigerprint; Studio Roam; Medici Cards; and Cole and Sons. Emily recently illustrated the interior of the new Royal hospital for children and young people in Edinburgh. Her website is at emilyhogarth.com and contains an excellent online shop…
Emily’s portfolio includes a variety of images – Cards, Artwork and Photos.
Click on any of the images below to enable a full screen slideshow.
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Stewart Mackinnon
Stewart is included not only as an Artist, but also as a Film Maker – click here to see that entry. His Biography reveals that it was a series of chance encounters which took him down the artistic route, “two important teaching staff influences being form teacher Reverend Robert MacNicol, and Nigel MacIsaac who ran the art department – both were thoughtful and kind but could be brutally honest”. Another chance happening was the realisation that he could create a project for entry to the school’s ‘W J Watson prize for Original Research’, which involved extensive drawings, winning it much to everyone’s surprise aged sixteen, two years younger than normal.
The images shown in the gallery below are predominantly from the 1960’s and 1970’s, prior to his Film career.
Click on any of the images below to enable a full screen slideshow.
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For those not given an individual entry…
The following is a melange of artistic and photographic images from a variety of RHS-based sources. The images sequenced 4 to 6 are of David Hockney’s celebrating painting ‘George Lawson and Wayne Sleep’ (1972-1975). George Lawson is a former pupil – for an explanation of the Hockney images, click here.
Click on any of the images below to enable a full screen slideshow.
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All entries uploaded without copyright permission – no copyright infringement is intended.
The Royal High School Club 