Norman Gilbert
- Location: University of Stirling Archives and Special Collections
- Reference Number: AC/OH/2012/1
- Date: 5th Nov 2012
- Description: Interview with Norman Gilbert. Interviewed in his own home by Emilie Kelly on the 5th November 2012.
Born to Scottish parents in Trinidad in 1926, Norman Gilbert decided to pursue a career in painting and it quickly became his life's work. Norman attended the Glasgow School of Art where he laid the foundation for his painting style-one that has been evolving and developing ever since. http://www.normangilbert.com The University Art Collection holds one of his works (1975.1) Boy, Girl and Blue and White Bed Mat.
0.58-The University bought one of his paintings at a show at the MacRobert in 1975, (December). Previously the MacRobert had an exhibition, in which his work featured.
1.42-Gordon Smith wanted to create an archive of Scottish Art, which Norman Gilbert believes only contains his work.
2.44-Whilst at an exhibition at Tollbooth (Edinburgh University) he was approached and offered an exhibition at the MacRobert. He also has a piece of art at Kelvingrove.
3.40-Discussion will feature on his use of colour. His wife is his model for his later art.
4.12-Gilbert most admires Matisse.
4.48-He creates artwork following his set routine.
5.00-Studied at Glasgow School of Art, received a grant and his mother lived in Troon. He was actually 'flung out of Glasgow School of Art for being unteachable.' He went back ten years later because he was teaching, but uncertificated, thus received half the pay he would have done otherwise. Begrudgingly Glasgow School of Art gave him a diploma. Edinburgh told him he would 'be a dangerous influence to have around.'
7.36-He met his wife at Glasgow School of Art, she was an artist and a teacher.
8.42-many of his earlier paintings were based on his family, when they left, he used his back garden for inspiration.
10.22-Gilbert believes that the public catalogue foundation have done a great thing by placing artworks in sequence on the internet. It's important that the nation knows where their art is. Believes that artists who paint are a dying breed, in favour of digital media.
12.00- Gilbert creates his art for himself.
12.30-His style evolved, gradually. However he still uses the same methods, supports, grounds, colours, paints. He uses hardboard supports, based on a chalk ground, which gives the potential for both gloss and matt finishes, which further work, utilising vanish.
14.30-However, you shouldn't vanish such paintings for at least six months or even a year, because if such a thing was ever to be cleaned, it would remove the paint.
15.20-He has no plans to exhibit any further art. However, if approached with an interesting idea for exhibition, he would consider it.
16.12-Gilbert's philosophy is to try and make each painting better than the one that preceded it. Some works have a story attached to them, others however, don't.
18.22-Gilbert has a website through which he sells his paintings.
18.55-He gives consent to this interview being used for academic research and also consultation of this transcript, and also for TV, interviews etc. He does not necessarily wish to know beforehand.
20.23-he gives the copyright for this interview to the University, he signs a form to attest this.
21.21-interviewer provides a background to her studies, researched from 1200-1400.
21.58-University was given help to buy artworks from the Arts Council.
23.22-Gilbert found it difficult to do anything with the prints at all, often they could be damaged at exhibitions.
26.28-The former editor of Cosmopolitan had an artwork of his in her office. However, it is suspected that she took this piece of art with her when she left.
26.58-He gained entry to Glasgow School of Art with only one higher, in part because he was ex-service.
27.20-Most recent exhibition Hilton Part Centre in Livingstone, four year previously (2008).
28.40-Best biography of him was in the Times 2003.
29.48 -Apparently, Madonna has one of his pictures.
Interview stops at 37 minutes. - Level: File
- Extent: 1 item
- Contact: University of Stirling Archives
