George Wyllie
Encyclopedia
George Wyllie MBE
(born 1921) is a Scottish
artist
who resides in Gourock
. He worked as a customs officer
before taking up art. He describes himself as a "scul?tor".
He has produced a number of notable public works notably the Straw Locomotive and the Paper Boat. The Straw Locomotive consisted of a full size steam locomotive, constructed from straw, and suspended from the Finnieston Crane
, by the River Clyde
in Glasgow
. The sculpture was built at the former locomotive works at Springburn
, and suspended from the crane for several months during the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival
, before being taken back to the Springburn site and ceremonially burnt. The 80-foot Paper Boat was exhibited at The Tramway in Glasgow and at other sites including a placement on the Hudson River in New York, for which visit it carried quotations from Adam Smith's The Theory of Moral Sentiments
.
His Slap and Tickle Machine is in the collection of the People's Palace
, Glasgow
, and wind-up stainless steel palm trees and a sculptural bandstand featured in the café of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
in Glasgow
.
Wyllie's work can also be seen in the Clyde Clock (depicting a clock on running legs), outside Buchanan bus station
and in the Monument to Maternity (depicting a huge nappy
pin), on the site of the former Rottenrow
Maternity Hospital. Collections: Glasgow Corporation Museum of Transport, Cheshire County Council, Glasgow Cathedral, St. John's Kirk, Perth, St. Mary's Hospital, Lanark, Mitchell Limited, Greenock, and public and private collections at home, USA and Sweden.
Wyllie stood as a list candidate (Scottish Senior Citizen's Unity Party (SSCUP)) for the West of Scotland region in the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary Election.
He is a past president of the Society of Scottish Artists
and provides an award for an imaginative work at their annual exhibition.
He was awarded the MBE
in the New Years Honours List 2005
.
Agnus Dei
The Paper Boat.
Straw Locomotive.
The World is Small.
The Happy Compass.
Clyde Clock.
Slap and Tickle Machine.
Monument to Maternity.
New Broom
Life Cycle
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(born 1921) is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
who resides in Gourock
Gourock
Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
. He worked as a customs officer
Customs officer
A customs officer is a law enforcement agent who enforces customs laws, on behalf of a government.-Hong Kong:4 931 posts, of which nine are directorate officers, 3 804 are members of the Customs and Excise Department, 504 are Trade Controls Officers and 614 are staff of the General and Common...
before taking up art. He describes himself as a "scul?tor".
He has produced a number of notable public works notably the Straw Locomotive and the Paper Boat. The Straw Locomotive consisted of a full size steam locomotive, constructed from straw, and suspended from the Finnieston Crane
Finnieston Crane
The Finnieston Crane is a crane and landmark in Glasgow, Scotland. It is now disused but is retained as a symbol of the city's engineering heritage.- History :...
, by the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. The sculpture was built at the former locomotive works at Springburn
Springburn
Springburn is an inner city district in the north of the Scottish city of Glasgow, home to various working and middle-class households.Springburn developed from a small rural hamlet at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Its industrial expansion began with the establishment of a chemical...
, and suspended from the crane for several months during the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival
Glasgow Garden Festival
The Glasgow Garden Festival was the third of the United Kingdom's five National Garden Festivals, and the only one to take place in Scotland.It was held in Glasgow between 26 April and 26 September 1988...
, before being taken back to the Springburn site and ceremonially burnt. The 80-foot Paper Boat was exhibited at The Tramway in Glasgow and at other sites including a placement on the Hudson River in New York, for which visit it carried quotations from Adam Smith's The Theory of Moral Sentiments
The Theory of Moral Sentiments
The Theory of Moral Sentiments was written by Adam Smith in 1759. It provided the ethical, philosophical, psychological, and methodological underpinnings to Smith's later works, including The Wealth of Nations , A Treatise on Public Opulence , Essays on Philosophical Subjects , and Lectures on...
.
His Slap and Tickle Machine is in the collection of the People's Palace
People's Palace
The People's Palace and Winter Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland is a museum and glasshouse situated in Glasgow Green, and was opened on 22 January, 1898 by the Earl of Rosebery....
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, and wind-up stainless steel palm trees and a sculptural bandstand featured in the café of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. The building houses one of Europe's great civic art collections...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
Wyllie's work can also be seen in the Clyde Clock (depicting a clock on running legs), outside Buchanan bus station
Buchanan bus station
Buchanan Bus Station is the main bus terminus in Glasgow, Scotland.The bus station is the terminus for journeys between the city and other towns in United Kingdom and international journeys. It was originally built in 1977, close to the former site of Buchanan Street railway station which was...
and in the Monument to Maternity (depicting a huge nappy
Diaper
A nappy or a diaper is a kind of pant that allows one to defecate or urinate on oneself discreetly. When diapers become soiled, they require changing; this process is often performed by a second person such as a parent or caregiver...
pin), on the site of the former Rottenrow
Rottenrow
Rottenrow is a famous street in the city of Glasgow in Scotland. It is located at Townhead, in the northern periphery of the city centre.Rottenrow dates back to the city's medieval beginnings, and once connected the historic High Street to the northern reaches of what is now the Cowcaddens area. ...
Maternity Hospital. Collections: Glasgow Corporation Museum of Transport, Cheshire County Council, Glasgow Cathedral, St. John's Kirk, Perth, St. Mary's Hospital, Lanark, Mitchell Limited, Greenock, and public and private collections at home, USA and Sweden.
Wyllie stood as a list candidate (Scottish Senior Citizen's Unity Party (SSCUP)) for the West of Scotland region in the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary Election.
He is a past president of the Society of Scottish Artists
Society of Scottish Artists
The Society of Scottish Artists is a Scottish artist-run organization which seeks to promote and encourage experimentation and the "adventurous spirit" in Scottish art....
and provides an award for an imaginative work at their annual exhibition.
He was awarded the MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in the New Years Honours List 2005
British honours system
The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories...
.
Works
(Partial list)Agnus Dei
The Paper Boat.
Straw Locomotive.
The World is Small.
The Happy Compass.
Clyde Clock.
Slap and Tickle Machine.
Monument to Maternity.
New Broom
Life Cycle
Life cycle
Life cycle or lifecycle may refer to: * Biological life cycle* Enterprise life cycle* Life cycle assessment* New product development* Product lifecycle , various meanings* Project life cycle...