New exhibition celebrates centenary of William McLaren, Fife’s forgotten artist

William McLaren from Cardenden was an illustrator and decorative artist who mixed with the great and the good of the day. He died aged just 64 without receiving wide public recognition, but left behind a range of work that will surprise and delight many people. To mark what would have been his 100th birthday, Cardenden History Group is staging an exhibition at Auchterderran Church Hall on Wednesday, September 27, and Thursday 28th, from 12:00pm to 4:00pm.

William was born on September 27, 1923 at Ferniegair, a small village near Hamilton, and moved with his father, mother, and older brother, Walter, to the Fife mining town, aged three. He went to Auchterderran East Primary School and then Beath Secondary School in Cowdenbeath - now Beath High School.

The family moved to a ground floor council house at 29 Denfield Avenue, Cardenden in 1939 which William decorated with a mural of an Italian scene which covered one wall. He wanted to study at art college, and in 1940, won a place at the Edinburgh College of Art. World War II had commenced, and war time escapades included fire-watching on the roof of a rubber factory, where, with his friend, he painted the walls with giant murals of the biblical story of the creation. When their efforts were discovered, they were severely reprimanded.

William was influenced by art college teacher, Joan Hassall, who taught engraving and typography. He became totally immersed and engrossed in the 18th century and remained so until the end of his career.

He graduated in 1944, and, keen to travel with his friend, David Lockhart, they spent a great deal of their time in the Tate Gallery, London, studying the great masters. Sometime later, William left Scotland and visited Florence, Rome, Sicily and parts of France to further his education. After returning, he found an agent, and work started coming in. William was an illustrator with the Radio Times from 1951 to 1967, and he became a prolific book illustrator and designer of dust jackets. He became friends with John Beverley Nichols, an English writer, play wright and public speaker. He designed and illustrated several of his gardening books.

There were many more channels to William’s work, including portrait painting. In 1950, he painted a watercolour self-portrait, seated, with a view of Duomo, Florence which is now kept in Fife’s archives.

On one occasion, he composed 19 separate certificates in fine italic scripts for the members of Dundonald Juvenile Pipe Band in honour of their victory in the 1952 world championships. He also completed a portrait of Robert Wright, a member of the band, which he named “The Piper Boy”.

William’s father died in 1954, followed by his mother who died in 1957. Both were buried at Bowhill Cemetery. Six years later,he moved to Edinburgh. Encouraged by friends, he was able to buy a modest flat at West Bow, in the old town, which became his studio for the next 15 years. In 1964, a portrait of William was painted by Alan Alexander. It is also kept in Fife’s archives.

He did illustrations for Beverley Nichols for some time, and she suggested to Lord Linlithgow that he consider him to do murals for Hopetoun House. He was commissioned to start the painted panels for the staircase which were completed in 1967. From there, he painted murals and decorations at Tyninghame House in East Lothian, specifically scenes of the Scottish landscape and the family crest.

As he moved around in the social circle of the elite society, he never ever chose to hide the fact he came from Cardenden. Lady Hamilton was great friends with the Wemyss family and he was introduced to paint a mural of the coat of arms above the fireplace.

In 1969, he was also commissioned to paint a mura for a Mackie Academy in Stonehaven. It can still be seen today. As a result of his work in grand houses in Scotland, he began to develop his Trompe L'oeil style in the decoration of interiors south of the border with Netherton House, Hampshire and Combe Manor and Barns, Berkshire from 1974.

In 1977 the mural at the Lodge Canongate Kilwinning in Edinburgh was regarded to have been the finest and most accomplished of his work. Public commissions included the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, working on the rear stalls, mural and mirror in the bar and the Kings Theatre.

William was convinced that his skills should be passed on to future generations of artists so he decided to find an apprentice. He went to the dole office, announced himself and moved up the queue until eventually he found Gary Wilkins who would work with him pretty much full time.

In 1978 he bought a ground floor flat and a basement shop across Edinburgh city at 23c Dundas Street. It was the first time William had direct access to the public. It quickly took on the look of a curiosity shop, with collections of cannibalised parts which were used on jobs from antique dealers to repair old furniture.

With his apprentice, he painted a tapestry mural on a wall above the stairs in the Colonel's House (West Lodge) at Greywalls, East Lothian, and a Virgin and Child tondo on altar which still hangs at Newbattle Abbey Chapel.

In 1983, Park Lodge Hotel, Stirling commissioned William and Gary to decorate the entrance, hall, stairs, first floor walls and doors, dining room, bar and bar lounge. In 1985, in one of his last completed works, William designed and decorated a souvenir album celebrating the Old Vic Theatre and presented it to the Queen Mother.

William died from a heart attack on October 17, 1987. He was buried in the family plot at Bowhill Cemetery, Cardenden. A documentary DVD, ‘William McLaren - An Artist Out of Time’ produced in 2010 was the first attempt to document his life and work. It was first screened in the Film house’s ‘Made in Edinburgh’ slot and the response was tremendous.