Biography
Stuart Beaty (b. Saltcoats, Ayrshire, Scotland, UK 1921 - d. 2004) studied modelling and carving at the Glasgow School of Art under Benno Schotz (1891-1984). He had served with the RAF on the engineering side, including two years in India and Burma, where he was influenced by Indian stone and wood carving and he exhibited pictures in exhibitions in India during this time. An interest in puppetry encouraged Stuart to help establish the Art School Marionette Theatre. He also studied knitwear design and was a designer at Pringle of Scotland, eventually being appointed to the Board as Design Director until 1974. He married the accomplished painter Moira (b. Prestwick 1923-2015) in 1952 whom he had met there, just after WW2, after she had worked as a cryptographer at Bletchley Park. They moved to the Borders and eventually to Kipford in Dumfries & Galloway where they taught, created and exhibited, forging solid relationships with galleries such as the Open Eye in Edinburgh and Gracefield in Dumfries. They had a daughter, Ann, who was also an artist.
