Biography
Gavin Scobie (b. Edniburgh, Scotland, UK 1940 - d. 2012) studied painting at the Edinburgh College of Art (1958-62). From 1963-74 he taught art in a school in Edinburgh school. He settled in Ross-shire and took up sculpture in 1966. He had his first solo exhibition at the Richard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh (1972) having won the Invergordon Sculpture Prize (1970). Although Scobie initially worked in metal in a minimalist style inspired by the work of Donald Judd, Sol LeWitt and Anthony Caro, from the early 1980s he also turned to terracotta. A major retrospective was held at Talbot Rice Art Centre, Edinburgh in 1984 and Scobie’s constructivist sculpture was on show at Reed’s Wharf Gallery in 1994. An important series Scobie's bronze books was begun by him in 1977; the Arts Council collection includes Untitled Book Sculpture (1981) and Small Glasgow Book (1980) was purchased by the Contemporary Art Society and presented to the Ferens Art Gallery, Hull in 1982.
