Oscar Goodall
- Location: University of Stirling Archives and Special Collections
- Reference Number: AC/OH/2016/1
- Medium: Digital Sound Recording
- Date: 17th May 2016
- Description: Interview with Oscar Goodall. Interviewed in his own home by Cathy Snedden 17/05/2016.
Born in Perthshire, Oscar Goodall studied at the Dundee College of Art and Hospitalfield, and has exhibited widely. The Art Collection holds two paintings by Oscar Goodall. (1979.13) Birds of Prey and (1979.14) North West Evening.
0.25-He grew up in Perth, his father had died, and his mother came back with him. At this time his grandfather also died. Attended Perth Academy, was a prefect and took a great interest in dialectic society. He joined the army at seventeen and served in the War. Was convinced that you must sacrifice not only your life but all things that are precious to you also. Served in Royal Air Force reserve, in a Lancaster bomber.
2.37 There were 110,000 air crew and 57,000 had been killed. Goodall attended Dundee College of Art, could have attended Glasgow, but chose the former. Served as President of the Student's Union. Was troubled by what to do next. Decided that education and religion was vital to avoiding another war. The former featured in his decision. Had failed his HEC, but had to get such qualification to attend teacher training, he subsequently became an art teacher, teaching at Trinity College.
4.58-However, he gave this up after six months, then found himself as foreign master to a third year boy; this was in a rough area. It later turned out that there were many boys, and a high proportion of them were on remand or had been in borstal.
6.18-He met a girl at school, who he later married. He moved from the small job and went to Bell Baxter high school to teach.
7.45-He painted at the same time, using all equipment he could find. He was able to manufacture what was later called acrylic paint.
8.58-art was important in the development of the new towns. He formed an art club.
10.30-he later moved from teaching children to teaching teachers. He moved to Clackmannan, to a failing school. Here, he was responsible for all teaching of art, from primary to adult evening classes. From the stress, he had a heart art and was discharged from his employment.
12.00-His house was built in 1790 or '91 and sleeps in his studio. He enjoyed teaching because he felt he made a difference. Retells story of when the Secretary of State visited his school.
14.07-He doesn't think that previous experiences in art school influenced him.
15.08-He was conscious that although he could speak a little French, he was deeply impressed and influenced by picture writing, a universal language. He was conscious that he should be painting landscapes, which, because of science and technology would be, in the future, endangered.
16.48-Goodall is nine two. Reflects on how he enjoyed painting clouds.
18.03-Driving force behind his painting was that he wished to be able to express himself through visual change, because there is only one constant thing in the world, which is change. He can change his pictures, but obviously not the landscape.
19.34-First abstract piece he painted, called the Gordian Knot, exhibited in the Royal Scottish gallery.
20.42-He never allows anyone to see his pictures unless he is satisfied with them. Currently, he is revisiting such works to improve them.
21.38-Goodall draws in the open, then takes the artwork back and improves it, later. One sees too much when drawing, so needs to refine it later. On back of his drawings, he writes statements associated with that artwork.
23.24-Elected as an RSW (Royal Society of Painters in Watercolour), but unsure of the date. He hasn't exhibited with them for some time, because he disapproves greatly of paintings which use acrylic paint, but which are marketed as such as use traditional paint. He put this issue to the committee. He dislikes any artwork in traditional style (e.g. Turner) but using modern paint. Watercolour is the most difficult sort of painting, because it is a premeditated accident. It must always look like an accident, and there is very little hiding one's mistakes.
28.20-When he was demobilised, in the middle of an educational year. They wanted him to either do nothing for six months, but he appealed to the art school that if he could demonstrate his ability through oil painting, could he simply skip the first year. He created such a work in only four weeks and was therefore allowed to skip his first year.
35.00-He discusses working with cloth and turpentine. Enjoys working with hands.
37-15-Discusses what he is currently working on. He has never been satisfied with this work, but he argues that if was good enough to start then it must be good enough to finish.
38.29-Goodall does not know what to do with his paintings when he dies. There was a time when he might have put them on show, but now there are few people interested in them. He will leave them to his daughter and perhaps small galleries in Paris. Big responsibility for his daughter, but he thinks that she is up to it.
Ends - Level: File
- Extent: 1 item
- Contact: University of Stirling Archives
