Robbie Bushe RSA
- Work
- Biography
Robbie Bushe’s practice centres on the depiction of detailed, suggestive narratives, frequently set within expansive architectonic constructions. Bushe has exhibited his narrative paintings since 1990. Inspired by the characters and the places where he has lived and worked, his work has won several national awards, including the inaugural W. Gordon Smith Painting Prize. Most recently he is a shortlisted prize-winner of the 2020 John Moores Painting Prize at the Walker Gallery Liverpool.
Born in Liverpool in 1964, Bushe grew up in Aberdeenshire before graduating in painting at Edinburgh College of Art in 1990. Having simultaneously undertaken a career as artist and art lecturer, he taught painting at Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen, was Head of Fine Art at the University of Chichester, and has lectured at Kent Institute of Art and Design and Oxford Brookes University. Bushe returned to Scotland in 2007 to become the Coordinator of Short Courses at Edinburgh College of Art. He is currently a Senior Teaching Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. Bushe was elected as a member of the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) in 2017 and is currently serving as its Secretary.
Born in Liverpool in 1964, Bushe grew up in Aberdeenshire before graduating in painting at Edinburgh College of Art in 1990. Having simultaneously undertaken a career as artist and art lecturer, he taught painting at Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen, was Head of Fine Art at the University of Chichester, and has lectured at Kent Institute of Art and Design and Oxford Brookes University. Bushe returned to Scotland in 2007 to become the Coordinator of Short Courses at Edinburgh College of Art. He is currently a Senior Teaching Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. Bushe was elected as a member of the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) in 2017 and is currently serving as its Secretary.
Selected Solo and Small Exhibitions
2021
Dwell, Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh
2019
NEONEANDERTHALS, Collaboration with Jeanne Cannizzo, Royal Scottish Academy
2017
Invasions and Excavations, Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
2016
Ghostlands, with Kate Downie and Ronald Plowman, Tatha Gallery
2012
Fred, St Margaret House, Edinburgh
2011
Fred, Foyer Gallery, Aberdeen
2008
Otter Gallery, University of Chichester
2006
Sarah Wiseman Gallery Oxford
1998
3 Scottish Artists, with Joe Fan and Neil Gall, John Martin Gallery, London
1994
Peacock Printmakers, Aberdeen
The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
1992
The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
Selected Group Exhibitions
2021
John Moores Painting Prize, Walker Art Gallery Liverpool
2020
Annual Exhibition (online), RSA
2019
Utopia, Society of Scottish Artists, Gracefield Arts Centre
Westmorland Painting Prize, Rheged Centre, Cumbria
Our Infinite Land, Royal Scottish Academy
Visual Arts Scotland: Alight, RSA
2018
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
RSA Members Annual Exhibition
OPEN: VAS and SSA Together, RSA
Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, Mall Galleries
2017
SKETCH 2017. Rabley Drawing Centre Marlborough, Black Swan Arts Frome, Plymouth College of Art, Peter Scott Gallery Lancaster University
2016
The Discerning Eye Drawing Bursary, Mall Galleries
W Gordon Smith Prize exhibition, Dovecot Gallery
Converge and FLY, Visual Arts Scotland
2015
National Open Art, Royal College of Art Pallant House, Chichester
Society of Scottish Artists, RSA
VAS:T, Visual Arts Scotland, RSA
2005
Group Show, John Martin Gallery
National Open Art, Chichester
2004
Directors Choice, Open Eye Gallery
1999
Hinterland, Pier Arts Centre, Orkney, Peacock Visual Arts, Musee des Beaux-Arts, France
1997
Morrison Portrait Award, RSA
1995
Bruton Gallery, Bath
Summer Show, Thackeray Gallery. London.
1993
June Redfern’s Artist’s Choice, Bohun Gallery, Henley on Thames.
Morrison Portrait Competition Exhibition, RSA
1992
Awards
2021
Prize Winner, John Moores Painting Prize
2016
Winner, W Gordon Smith Award
Runner up, The Discerning Eye Drawing Bursary
2015
The Turtleton Trust Scottish Art Prize, NOA
1997
Morrison Portrait Award, Runner up
1996
The Guthrie Award, RSA
1993
Latimar Award, RSA
1992
The Saltire Society Prize, RSA
1991
Elizabeth Greenshields Award
1990
John Kinross Travelling Scholarship
1989
Chambers Bursary, RSA
2021
Dwell, Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh
2019
NEONEANDERTHALS, Collaboration with Jeanne Cannizzo, Royal Scottish Academy
2017
Invasions and Excavations, Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
2016
Ghostlands, with Kate Downie and Ronald Plowman, Tatha Gallery
2012
Fred, St Margaret House, Edinburgh
2011
Fred, Foyer Gallery, Aberdeen
2008
Otter Gallery, University of Chichester
2006
Sarah Wiseman Gallery Oxford
1998
3 Scottish Artists, with Joe Fan and Neil Gall, John Martin Gallery, London
1994
Peacock Printmakers, Aberdeen
The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
1992
The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
Selected Group Exhibitions
2021
John Moores Painting Prize, Walker Art Gallery Liverpool
2020
Annual Exhibition (online), RSA
2019
Utopia, Society of Scottish Artists, Gracefield Arts Centre
Westmorland Painting Prize, Rheged Centre, Cumbria
Our Infinite Land, Royal Scottish Academy
Visual Arts Scotland: Alight, RSA
2018
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
RSA Members Annual Exhibition
OPEN: VAS and SSA Together, RSA
Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, Mall Galleries
2017
SKETCH 2017. Rabley Drawing Centre Marlborough, Black Swan Arts Frome, Plymouth College of Art, Peter Scott Gallery Lancaster University
2016
The Discerning Eye Drawing Bursary, Mall Galleries
W Gordon Smith Prize exhibition, Dovecot Gallery
Converge and FLY, Visual Arts Scotland
2015
National Open Art, Royal College of Art Pallant House, Chichester
Society of Scottish Artists, RSA
VAS:T, Visual Arts Scotland, RSA
2005
Group Show, John Martin Gallery
National Open Art, Chichester
2004
Directors Choice, Open Eye Gallery
1999
Hinterland, Pier Arts Centre, Orkney, Peacock Visual Arts, Musee des Beaux-Arts, France
1997
Morrison Portrait Award, RSA
1995
Bruton Gallery, Bath
Summer Show, Thackeray Gallery. London.
1993
June Redfern’s Artist’s Choice, Bohun Gallery, Henley on Thames.
Morrison Portrait Competition Exhibition, RSA
1992
Awards
2021
Prize Winner, John Moores Painting Prize
2016
Winner, W Gordon Smith Award
Runner up, The Discerning Eye Drawing Bursary
2015
The Turtleton Trust Scottish Art Prize, NOA
1997
Morrison Portrait Award, Runner up
1996
The Guthrie Award, RSA
1993
Latimar Award, RSA
1992
The Saltire Society Prize, RSA
1991
Elizabeth Greenshields Award
1990
John Kinross Travelling Scholarship
1989
Chambers Bursary, RSA
Collections
- 2015
- Robbie Bushe RSA
- Oxgangs, Abruzzo and beyond
- 2016
- Robbie Bushe RSA
- Work Showing at Visual Arts Scotland
- 2019
- Robbie Bushe RSA
- Neoneanderthals
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