William ( Bill ) McNamara Scotland

Trained at Glasgow School of Art , this piece dates from around the1970's


8" High handbuilt and Coiled Slab Pot .

http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/cca/studentlife/courseactivities/historyofartpgt/pgtexhibition2009/

Info a bit thin on the ground on the net .

I think sometimes he just used NAM

I have written to the museums concerned to try and get more info .
During the 1980s the Scottish Development Agency purchased a number of hand-crafted items for its Scottish Crafts Collection. The aim of the collection was to inform the public of craft production in Scotland through touring exhibitions and education programmes. When the Scottish Craft Council was wound up, the collection was transferred to the National Museums of Scotland

Dear Eddie



Thank you for your recent enquiry. Bill McNamara was born in Glasgow in 1932 and trained at Glasgow School of Art 1970-75. He worked at the college as a technical assistant from 1975-6 and established his own studio at Ingram Street, Glasgow in 1976. In the late 1970s and early 1980s he was producing hand built or slabbed stoneware pots. I am afraid I do not know whether he is still working. National Museums Scotland do not give valuations, you would need to approach a commercial auction house for advice.

I hope that this information is useful.

Your sincerely



Rose Watban

Senior Curator Modern & Contemporary Design

Department of Art & Design



National Museums Scotland

Chambers Street

Edinburgh EH1 1JF

ly -

Hi Eddie, I too have been researching Bills work as I have acquired a large collection of his work. There are not many pictures of his pieces so here are a couple of interim pictures of what I have.....I have been trying to value the collection but so far to no avail !

brin mcardle wrote:Blimey...so envious !! Could be a new obsession

Quite easily, some amazing works produced by Scottish artists between 1970 & 1980......they are available for sale if you do get the bug !

Jon

Hi Jon , Fantastic group you have there, , I know what museum have paid for his work in the past and will get in touch with you soon , I have a lot more info on Bill , cheers Ed   

Info on the potter -
Born glasgow 1932, 1970/75 glasgow school of art .
1975/76 Studio assistant GSA Ceramic Dept.
1976 Est. workshop at glasgow print studio.
1982 Est workshop at Dalhousie Lane Studio.
1990 resumed work after lengthy illness.
Exhibitions ( one man select)
1979/81 Henderson's Gallery Edinburgh,
1980/81 Hillhead UndergroundGallery Glasgow,
1982 Third eye centre, glasgow,
1982 Queens Court Gallery Ayre
Henry Rothschild Exhibitions ;
1982 Kettles Yard Cambridge .
1983 The Scottish gallery Edinburgh.
Craft Division (SDA)
1982 British Contemporary Crafts Houston Texas .
1983 City arts Centre Edinburgh .

Memberships ;
Scottish potters association ( fellow past chairman)
Scottish Craft Centre ( Past Council Member ).
Glasgow print studios ( Past Chairman)
Wasps, Workshops & provion Scotland ( past director)

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Paisley Museum & art Gallery .
Glasgow Museum &Art Gallery.
Royal Scottish Museum Edinburgh.
Dundee Museum& Art Gallery.
Leeds Education Authority Collection

Do you know if he is still alive?

No according to info from paisley museum he died but when I don't know exactly when .

Other potters that he had an exhibition with at the t. garner gallery august 1997 were Andrew Adair, Ronnie Fulton , Tom Elliot , Ian ramsay, Noel mckenna , irene Bell , jackie alexander , this was an exhibition of former Dalhousie potters , so maybe just an expo of sorts .

My ongoing research into Bills work , found a scottish potter Anne Morrisson ,she was at Glasgow schoolof art at the same time and said both Bill & her were the only two to attend a class given by american potter Nan McKinnell, Bill was originally going to do sculpting but a demo by Nan changed his views and went into ceramics, info On The Mckinnels turned out to be very interesting their influence in studio pottery was great , well worth looking them up on net

http://www.mckinnellceramics.com/career-history/

A page from an 1984 Exhibition

bump for the new member Paul007

I hope Paul can get some pics on as he has some very interesting pieces .

the earlier pics seem to have disappeared

OOps! , sorry Naomi , i's just that the other pics have gone , have you seen the pieces Andrew Adair posted on FB ,? they are beautiful , Adair worked alongsside him for a while .