Sinclair Thomson

Sinclair Thomson (25 December 1915 – 24 July 1983) was a Scottish painter, born in Glasgow, Scotland. He won the Guthrie Award in 1948 with his oil painting The White Shawl.

Life

Sinclair Thomson was born in 1915 in Govanhill, Glasgow.

His father was Donald Thomson (20 December 1878 - 25 July 1952) and his mother was Diana Sinclair Sutherland (2 May 1879 - 3 July 1947). They married in Lanark in 1904. They had four sons, including Sinclair; and one daughter Diana who did not survive infancy.

Thomson went to school at Allan Glen's School then at Townhead in the city of Glasgow. While there he suffered a football injury, injuring his knee, which led to the amputation of his leg at the age of 16.

During the Second World War he became a dispatch rider for the Civil Defence, as he remained able to ride a motorbike. This triggered a lifelong love of motorbikes.

He became a teacher in the High School of Glasgow; and soon started teaching evening classes in pottery at the Glasgow School of Art. Florence was also a painter. They divorced in 1962.

He married again in 1966. This was to Barbara Joan Ellen Carter (11 July 1923 - 19 March 2017), who like Thomson had been previously married. Barbara was previously one of Thomson's pottery students.

The couple bought a summer home, Tig Cottage in Heronsford near Ballantrae; and for many years spent the winters in Glasgow and the summers in Ayrshire.

He was elected Associate member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1952.

The Ruth Borchard Collection has Self Portrait With A Sun Hat.

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries have Wester Ross and Flower Study

The Royal Scottish Academy has Tig Cottage And The Smiddy, Heronsford, Ballantrae.

Low Parks Museum has Haystacks At Toward.

His pottery usually has the marks ST and a Celtic Cross.