Donald McIntyre spent at least one summer painting at the Isle of Whithorn
Born in 1923 in Leeds to Scottish parents and brought up in north west Scotland, he studied as a dentist a the Glasgow Dental Hospital while taking night classes at the Glasgow School of Art. He later served in the army and became an Education Health Officer. At 40, McIntyre decided to pursue painting as a full time career. Before his death in 2009 he spent much of his later life in North Wales.
He was inspired by the British coastline, Anglesey, Cornwall and particularly Scotland where he would often travel back to. His earlier paintings from the 1960s through to the early 80s often had an earthy palette.
His later work in acrylic is heavily influenced by the Scottish Colourist tradition such as Francis Cadell and McIntyre’s use of colour developed to become much stronger to the extent the reality of the land and seascapes became almost secondary to the experience of colour. His paintings of the Isle appear to be from the late 1970s when his use of bright colour was just beginning to dominate.
His paintings are now in the collections of the late H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh; The National Library of Wales; Newport Art Gallery; Arts Council of Wales; Welsh Contemporary Arts Society; Kirkaldy Museum and Art Gallery and the USA Embassy, London.
Aye Whithorn 2 