Indigestion
Artist
Scottie Wilson
(Glasgow, Scotland, 1888 - 1972)
Date1941
Mediumpen ink and coloured crayon on paper
ClassificationsPaintings And Drawings
Dimensions38.2 x 28cm
Frame Size: 56.5 x 44.7cm
Sight Size: 37.5 x 26.5cm
Frame Size: 56.5 x 44.7cm
Sight Size: 37.5 x 26.5cm
AcquisitionScottish Arts Council Collection, gifted by Creative Scotland, 2011.
CopyrightOrphan work
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDAG017401
About MeScotland's most famous outsider artist, Scottie Wilson was born Louis Freeman, but changed his name when he emigrated to Canada in the 1930s. He opened a second hand furniture shop in Toronto and only took up drawing and painting in his 40s. His work was admired by artists such as Picasso and Dubuffet who were interested in the ousider tradition and both owned examples of his work. He described how he discovered this late passion for drawing:
“I’m listening to classical music one day – Mendelssohn – when all of a sudden I dipped the bulldog pen into a bottle of ink and started drawing – doodling I suppose you’d call it – on the cardboard tabletop. I don’t know why. I just did. In a couple of days – I worked almost ceaselessly – the whole of the tabletop was covered with little faces and designs. The pen seemed to make me draw, and them images, the faces and designs just flowed out. I couldn’t stop – I’ve never stopped since that day."
Whe he returned to Britain in 1945, he toured an exhibition of his work which he brought to the Music Hall in Aberdeen. The poster for the exhibition announced the arrival, "For One Week Only" of "Scottie Wilson a Glasgow born Primitive Artist with his exhibition of 300 of the most amazing Dream Pictures ever shown to the public - The show that startled Canada".
