Donald McIntyre (1923 – 2009)

Donald McIntyre lived with his artist wife Lauren in a small village in the hills above Bangor, North Wales. He exhibited widely in the UK, including the Roya lAcademy, Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Cambrian Academy.

Donald was born in Yorkshire of Scottish parents in 1923 and spent the most memorable years of his childhood in the west of Scotland. He studied painting under James Wright, RSW at Garelochead. Qualifying as a dentist in Glasgow, he remained in the profession until the age of forty, when he left dentistry to make a living as a full time painter. He was greatly helped in this by Joan and Howard Roberts and their Cardiff gallery.

A retired member of the Royal Cambrian Academy, Donald was formerly a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, the Royal Society of Marine Artists, and the Pastel Society.

In addition, Donald’s paintings are held in many distinguished private and public collections.

The late Sir Kyffin Williams RA said of his work “The influences and images of childhood are deep and lasting, and so it is has been with Donald McIntyre for his boyhood was spent in the North West of Scotland among the blues of sea, sky and mountain and the rich green, saffron and umber of the small fields and hillsides. Here, unknowingly, his palette was formed and when in later life he came to Wales he viewed the landscape, not as a Welshman, but as a Scot who painted in the free exuberant spirit of his fellow countrymen and with a deep knowledge and appreciation of the best of European painting.  Mentally as well as professionally Donald McIntyre is a true artist.”

Gorstella Gallery first exhibited Donald McIntyre’s work in 1996 and it has been a pleasure to have exhibited his work many times until his death in January 2009.