I am a Scottish artist who has enjoyed a varied career. I graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 1993, and worked as a bouncer, a chef, a stonemason and a blacksmith before returning to art in 1999 to set up Perfect Circle, a commercial fine art company. Perfect Circle ran for 15 years, alongside Maryhill Art School which I set up with two other tutors. At the same time I set up and ran Strange Frames, a bespoke framing company. I spent 15 years collaborating with my hero, the Scottish artist and writer Alasdair Gray on his visual work and public projects. I’ve also worked for Oscar winning film designers, made huge mosaics, and acted as the arts consultant for infrastructure projects. I now live in the countryside working from a studio that I built during lockdown, and painting the Scottish landscape among other passions.
2009
January 1
2010
The decorations for the Cornwall Hotel and Spa. Nichol and his team were commissioned to create a series of artworks for the Hotel and Spa.
2008
January 1
2008
The artwork for every Holiday Inn Express bedroom in Europe.
January 1
2008
The Harte and Garter Hotel. A series of artworks and curation to create a very special hotel opposite Windsor Castle. And a funny incident involving palace security.
January 1
2008
Strange Frames begins!
2007
January 1
2007
The decoration of a five star hotel in Bulgaria. This involved being falsely accused of being an international art smuggler, the Foreign Office and a 10 year ban from Croatia…..
January 1
2007
The Lily Restaurant Bothwell.
2006
January 1
2006 – 2019
Working with Alasdair Gray at Òran Mór.
January 1
2006
A mosaic for a private house on Islay.
January 1
2006 – 2011
The actor’s poker game, the West End, Glasgow.
2005
June 1
2005 – 2008
Original artworks for the Folio group of hotels. This was a long commission that spanned 3 years and 28 hotels. In total about 3000 original artworks were made for this client.
Notable works
The Tam o’Shanter cycle of murals at Òran Mór.
Painting the ceiling of the auditiorium at Òran Mór for Alasdair Gray.
Manufacturing the Hillhead Subway Mural for Alasdair Gray, which was based on one of Nichol Wheatley’s drawings.
Ceiling of St Aloysious – in conjunction with Page and Park.
Portrait of David Dunbar – President of the Royal Incorporation of Architects Scotland.
Murals for set of Trainspotting 2.
Concept Artist for Outlaw King, the largest film production to date in Scotland.