• "Paisley 'Buddies' are, to a man and a woman, total oddballs.

    I should know, I’m one of them,” said John once.

  • John’s formal life as an artist began aged 18 when he entered Glasgow School of Art. His mother said he started drawing in his pram. A year before entering the art school, he started at A F Stoddart & Co in Paisley - a “Technicolour hell hole” - as a “slab boy”. Much of what was to come, visually and literally, drew on what John observed there. In 1963 Byrne received a travelling scholarship to Italy after being awarded the Newbery Medal at GSA. He saw the great quattrocento painters: Giotto, Cimabue and Duccio. The light, the exquisite detail and stillness of the Italian primitives is all there in his work of the late 60s and early 70s.

  • John returned to the carpet factory in 1966 during which time he secured an exhibition - and his passport out...

    John returned to the carpet factory in 1966 during which time he secured an exhibition - and his passport out of factory life - at the Portal Gallery, London under the pseudonym “Patrick”. Having passed himself off as a self-taught naïf, he was given an exhibition. The dream-like images that made up the show met with success. His ruse was uncovered and from here he went on to design record covers for The Beatles, Billy Connolly and Gerry Rafferty; and to co-write songs with the latter.

     

    From the early 1970s John diversified into writing, designing and directing stage and screen productions: Writer's Cramp (1977) and then a story of three workers in a Paisley carpet factory who dream of escaping to pursue a life in rock and roll in The Slab Boys (1978). In 1986 he wrote the cult television series Tutti Frutti, starring Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson and Richard Wilson, which tells the story of the silver jubilee tour of the rock band The Majestics. This was followed by Your Cheatin' Heart - a comedy of Glasgow life set to a backdrop of country and western music. Perhaps because of the immense success of these productions his prodigious talent as an artist was temporarily over-shadowed. He didn’t stop, however, but continued instead to design theatre sets and costumes.

     

    Right: Card for first Portal Gallery exhibition, Dec 1967

  • On seeing John’s show at the Third Eye Centre in 1975, Arthur Watson PRSA, wrote: “The paintings counteracted the abstract orthodoxies of 1975 while also shedding his persona of Patrick. The facial acrobatics of the self-portraits, the monumental cigarette ends sculpted in paint, the double portrait of Billy Connolly and his banjo of the riotous ‘Kingarockinroll’; each work could have been expanded by a lesser artist into a stylistically coherent body of work, but here a stream of ideas exploded round the gallery walls, realised in a tour de force of painterly virtuosity.”

     

    In the decades that followed an extensive iconography unfolded amounting, in some cases, to a kind of pictorial autobiography. Paintings of 1950s Ferguslie Park - Feegie - captured what was once an invention, the “teenager”, as this strange new being emerged in the artist’s own youth. In his Underwood Lane series, the Teddy Boys who loiter are reminiscences of his own past. These pictures often referenced filmic and theatrical worlds, their backdrops lit like stage-sets. Nocturnal themes abounded: moonlit woods; the streets of 1950s Paisley; the self-examining artist, alone and wreathed in cigarette smoke. In a finely balanced act, he pulled together the macabre and humour.

     

    But back to oddballs: running through all of John’s work is the outsider, either as a lone figure or a fragment of society. The vision may be fantastical and magical but it’s what John knows.

     

    emily walsh
    The Fine Art Society

  •  

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  •  

    • John Byrne RSA Man on the beach with cat, 1972 signed 'Patrick' acrylic on board 7 x 13 inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Man on the beach with cat, 1972
      signed 'Patrick'
      acrylic on board
      7 x 13 inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait with Checked Waistcoat, c.2000
      John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait with Checked Waistcoat, c.2000
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait, c.2005
      John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait, c.2005
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA Study of Steven Campbell, 2005 signed; inscribed 'Steven Campbell - Study' on frame verso; frame decorated by the artist oil on canvas 16 x 12 inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Study of Steven Campbell, 2005
      signed; inscribed 'Steven Campbell - Study' on frame verso; frame decorated by the artist
      oil on canvas
      16 x 12 inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Black Guy in Hat, 2005
      John Byrne RSA, Black Guy in Hat, 2005
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA Boy on the Beach signed Patrick and inscribed 'Clouds', 'Blue Sky', 'Boy on the Beach' ink, oil and watercolour on paper 18 x 24 inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Boy on the Beach
      signed Patrick and inscribed 'Clouds', 'Blue Sky', 'Boy on the Beach'
      ink, oil and watercolour on paper
      18 x 24 inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Still Life Pot & Cup
      John Byrne RSA, Still Life Pot & Cup
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Yellow Guitar, 2011
      John Byrne RSA, Yellow Guitar, 2011
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA Still Life with Guitar, Bust and Running Man, 2012 signed oil, pen, ink and watercolour on card 10 x 10 ¼ inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Still Life with Guitar, Bust and Running Man, 2012
      signed
      oil, pen, ink and watercolour on card
      10 x 10 ¼ inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA Owl & Siren signed mixed media on paper 14 x 10 inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Owl & Siren
      signed
      mixed media on paper
      14 x 10 inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, La Bête Rouge, 2014
      John Byrne RSA, La Bête Rouge, 2014
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait in Smoking Jacket, 2015
      John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait in Smoking Jacket, 2015
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Say it with Flowers, 2015
      John Byrne RSA, Say it with Flowers, 2015
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Mississippi Kite, 2017
      John Byrne RSA, Mississippi Kite, 2017
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA Black Guy New York, 2020 signed oil and pencil on board 28 ¼ x 17 inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Black Guy New York, 2020
      signed
      oil and pencil on board
      28 ¼ x 17 inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, The Fall Guy, 2020
      John Byrne RSA, The Fall Guy, 2020
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Satyr, 2008/2009
      John Byrne RSA, Satyr, 2008/2009
      Enquire
  • Benoit is a boy living with his father in a small seaside village where nothing much goes on. Ships come in. Ships go out.
    But one day, Benoit’s father, Jean-Kiki, barters with a salty sea captain to get a friend for his lonely son, a kitten he names Donald. And that’s the end of Benoit’s quiet days.
     
    These unpublished text pages for the childrens' book Donald and Benoit were part of John's original vision for the project.
    They were not included in the final published version, with the publisher opting to use standardised printed text to help children read along.
    • John Byrne RSA, Come Donald, he yelled. Let's go to the movies!, 2008
      John Byrne RSA, Come Donald, he yelled. Let's go to the movies!, 2008
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, On the way home, Donald very kindly re-ran the whole of 'Singing In The Rain', 2008
      John Byrne RSA, On the way home, Donald very kindly re-ran the whole of 'Singing In The Rain', 2008
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Another terrible silence. , 2008
      John Byrne RSA, Another terrible silence. , 2008
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, As Benoît racked his brains, 2008
      John Byrne RSA, As Benoît racked his brains, 2008
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Upstairs in his attic bedroom, Donald opened his new library book, 2008
      John Byrne RSA, Upstairs in his attic bedroom, Donald opened his new library book, 2008
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Within seconds of their arrival, 2008
      John Byrne RSA, Within seconds of their arrival, 2008
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Little did Benoit realise, 2008
      John Byrne RSA, Little did Benoit realise, 2008
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, As if by strange magic, the little boat, 2008
      John Byrne RSA, As if by strange magic, the little boat, 2008
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Such was the crowd's delight at having a CAT heading up the Dancing Devildogs of Fisher-town, 2008
      John Byrne RSA, Such was the crowd's delight at having a CAT heading up the Dancing Devildogs of Fisher-town, 2008
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA 'Bomba' from Tutti Frutti, c.1985-86 signed and inscribed 'Bomba' ink, gouache and gesso on card 5 ½ x 9 ½ inches
      John Byrne RSA
      'Bomba' from Tutti Frutti, c.1985-86
      signed and inscribed 'Bomba'
      ink, gouache and gesso on card
      5 ½ x 9 ½ inches
      Enquire
      John Byrne RSA, 'Bomba' from Tutti Frutti, c.1985-86
      £ 2,400.00 + 4% ARR
    • John Byrne RSA Miss Walkinshaw with Willie Curry, c.1997 signed and inscribed 'Elsie Walkinshaw' watercolour and pencil on paper 14 ½ x 21 ½ inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Miss Walkinshaw with Willie Curry, c.1997
      signed and inscribed 'Elsie Walkinshaw'
      watercolour and pencil on paper
      14 ½ x 21 ½ inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Brain-training
      John Byrne RSA, Brain-training
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Eddie Clockerty from 'Tutti Frutti', 2006
      John Byrne RSA, Eddie Clockerty from 'Tutti Frutti', 2006
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Inky Fingers I
      John Byrne RSA, Inky Fingers I
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Inky Fingers II
      John Byrne RSA, Inky Fingers II
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA Him and Me, 2010 signed ink on scraperboard 5 ¾ x 7 inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Him and Me, 2010
      signed
      ink on scraperboard
      5 ¾ x 7 inches
      Enquire
      John Byrne RSA, Him and Me, 2010
      £3,250 + 4% ARR
    • John Byrne RSA Yellow face self portrait signed ink and watercolour on paper 11 ¾ x 8 inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Yellow face self portrait
      signed
      ink and watercolour on paper
      11 ¾ x 8 inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA Me and Him in striped top initialled pencil on paper 10 ¼ x 7 inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Me and Him in striped top
      initialled
      pencil on paper
      10 ¼ x 7 inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA Double self portrait signed twice ink on paper 11 ¾ x 8 inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Double self portrait
      signed twice
      ink on paper
      11 ¾ x 8 inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait with spiky hair
      John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait with spiky hair
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait with skeleton, 2016-20?
      John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait with skeleton, 2016-20?
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait
      John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Self-Portrait with moustache, 2016-2020
      John Byrne RSA, Self-Portrait with moustache, 2016-2020
      Enquire

  •  

     

    John worked with Glasgow Print Studio throughout his career, creating etchings, screenprints and mezzotints in his signature style.

    Prints produced over 30 years are now available through The Fine Art Society.

    • John Byrne RSA, Beach Boy with Cat and Fish, 1998
      John Byrne RSA, Beach Boy with Cat and Fish, 1998
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Smokescreen, 2012
      John Byrne RSA, Smokescreen, 2012
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA Local Colour signed, titled and numbered 1/10 in pencil to margin hand-coloured screenprint edition of 10 10 ½ x 6 ¾ inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Local Colour
      signed, titled and numbered 1/10 in pencil to margin
      hand-coloured screenprint
      edition of 10
      10 ½ x 6 ¾ inches
      Enquire
      John Byrne RSA, Local Colour
      £ 3,200.00
    • John Byrne RSA, Me & Him, 2012
      John Byrne RSA, Me & Him, 2012
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait in Jamaica Street
      John Byrne RSA, Self Portrait in Jamaica Street
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Just Another Day
      John Byrne RSA, Just Another Day
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Boo!
      John Byrne RSA, Boo!
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Blowin' Wild
      John Byrne RSA, Blowin' Wild
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Moonlight Rendezvous
      John Byrne RSA, Moonlight Rendezvous
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA 'Jeanine' Tattoo, 2020 inscribed 'Jeanine'; signed, titled and numbered 2/10 in pencil to margin hand-coloured screenprint varied edition of 10 11 ¾ x 7 inches
      John Byrne RSA
      'Jeanine' Tattoo, 2020
      inscribed 'Jeanine'; signed, titled and numbered 2/10 in pencil to margin
      hand-coloured screenprint
      varied edition of 10
      11 ¾ x 7 inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA 'Deezer' Tattoo, 2020 inscribed 'Deezer'; signed, titled and numbered 10/10 in pencil to margin hand-coloured screenprint varied edition of 10 11 ¾ x 7 inches
      John Byrne RSA
      'Deezer' Tattoo, 2020
      inscribed 'Deezer'; signed, titled and numbered 10/10 in pencil to margin
      hand-coloured screenprint
      varied edition of 10
      11 ¾ x 7 inches
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA Red 'Kerchief, 2020 signed and numbered 20/30 in pencil to margin screenprint edition of 30 22 ¼ x 12 ¾ inches
      John Byrne RSA
      Red 'Kerchief, 2020
      signed and numbered 20/30 in pencil to margin
      screenprint
      edition of 30
      22 ¼ x 12 ¾ inches
      Enquire
      John Byrne RSA, Red 'Kerchief, 2020
      £ 1,700.00
    • John Byrne RSA, Wee Me, 2020
      John Byrne RSA, Wee Me, 2020
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Night Owl, 2020
      John Byrne RSA, Night Owl, 2020
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Smokey Joe, 2021
      John Byrne RSA, Smokey Joe, 2021
      Enquire

  • VIEW MORE PRINTS BY JOHN BYRNE

  • DAVID EUSTACE

    DEAR JOHN: A THIRTY YEAR PORTRAIT

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  • Dear John: A Thirty Year Portrait - a portfolio of twelve portraits of John Byrne taken over a thirty year period by photographer David Eustace, printed on handmade Japanese paper in a clamshell archival box, limited to an edition of 50.
     
    These 12 images of you John are my hand picked selection from a compendium of such treasured moments, which I'm blessed to have shared with you and I am hopeful others may take some enjoyment from their existence also.
     
    a handcrafted box set containing 12 portraits of the artist John Byrne, created over a 30 year period;
    signed and numbered in pencil to frontispiece; each sheet embossed with artist's name
    folio of twelve photographs on Japanese bamboo stock, plus four letterpress sheets, in debossed archival clamshell case
    each sheet 20 x 16 inches
    edition of 50
    Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Spanky's Coat
      John Byrne RSA, Spanky's Coat
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, Phil's Coat
      John Byrne RSA, Phil's Coat
      Enquire
    • John Byrne RSA, The Dark Wild Woods, 2014
      John Byrne RSA, The Dark Wild Woods, 2014
      Enquire
    • Unknown Poster for 'The Slab Boys', The Playhouse Theatre, New York, 1983 print 36 x 24 inches
      Unknown
      Poster for 'The Slab Boys', The Playhouse Theatre, New York, 1983
      print
      36 x 24 inches
      Enquire
      Unknown, Poster for 'The Slab Boys', The Playhouse Theatre, New York, 1983
      £ 1,800.00
    • Johnny Friedlaender Friedlaender, Gallerie Albert Verbeke, 1974 lithographic poster 29 ¼ x 20 ¾ inches
      Johnny Friedlaender
      Friedlaender, Gallerie Albert Verbeke, 1974
      lithographic poster
      29 ¼ x 20 ¾ inches
      Enquire
      Johnny Friedlaender, Friedlaender, Gallerie Albert Verbeke, 1974
      £ 450.00
    • Johnny Friedlaender 'Beliers', from Petit Bestiaire, 1963 signed in pencil to margin etching and aquatint edition of 240 + 10 APs 14 ¼ x 9 ¼ inches
      Johnny Friedlaender
      'Beliers', from Petit Bestiaire, 1963
      signed in pencil to margin
      etching and aquatint
      edition of 240 + 10 APs
      14 ¼ x 9 ¼ inches
      Enquire
      Johnny Friedlaender, 'Beliers', from Petit Bestiaire, 1963
      £ 600.00
    • Johnny Friedlaender 'Coq', from Petit Bestiaire, 1963 signed in pencil to margin etching and aquatint edition of 240 + 10 APs 13 x 8 ¼ inches
      Johnny Friedlaender
      'Coq', from Petit Bestiaire, 1963
      signed in pencil to margin
      etching and aquatint
      edition of 240 + 10 APs
      13 x 8 ¼ inches
      Enquire
      Johnny Friedlaender, 'Coq', from Petit Bestiaire, 1963
      £ 600.00
    • Jean Dubuffet, Le Guerrier, 1958
      Jean Dubuffet, Le Guerrier, 1958
      Enquire
    • William McCance The Censor No.1, 1950 signed, titled and numbered 18/30 in pencil to margin linocut edition of 30 12 ½ x 9 ½ inches
      William McCance
      The Censor No.1, 1950
      signed, titled and numbered 18/30 in pencil to margin
      linocut
      edition of 30
      12 ½ x 9 ½ inches
      Enquire
      William McCance, The Censor No.1, 1950
      £ 600.00
    • Bob Bain Punters in the Snow, Brig of Balgownie, 1985 signed, titled, dated 85 and inscribed 'Lino cut 12/100' in pencil to margin linocut edition of 100 22 x 14 inches
      Bob Bain
      Punters in the Snow, Brig of Balgownie, 1985
      signed, titled, dated 85 and inscribed 'Lino cut 12/100' in pencil to margin
      linocut
      edition of 100
      22 x 14 inches
      Enquire
      Bob Bain, Punters in the Snow, Brig of Balgownie, 1985
      £ 750.00
    • Edward Wadsworth, Signals, 1942
      Edward Wadsworth, Signals, 1942
      Enquire

  • 1940

    Born in Paisley, second son of Patrick Byrne and Alice, nee McShane

     

    1957

    Leaves school without taking Highers, gets job as ‘slab boy’ in local carpet factory A.F. Stoddart & Co

     

    1958

    Fails first year exams at Glasgow School of Art and has to resit

     

    1961

    Transfers to Edinburgh School of Art for one year

     

    1962

    Returns to Glasgow School of Art

                     

    1963

    Graduates with Diploma in Drawing and Painting, wins Newbery Medal, Hutchison Prize for Drawing, awarded Bellahouston Scholarship to travel to Perugia

     

    1964

    Marries Alice Simpson and son John Francis is born. Lives in Renfrew and becomes graphic designer for Scottish TV

     

    1965

    Daughter Celie born

    Exhibition at 208 Gallery, Glasgow

    Exhibition at Crestine Gallery, Edinburgh

     

    1966

    Leaves Scottish TV, joins A.F. Stoddart as a carpet designer

     

    1967

    Correspondence with Magritte, adopts Patrick

    First exhibition at Portal Gallery, London: Patrick Byrne: Portal’s Paisley Primitive Painter (December)

                     

    1968

    Leaves A.F. Stoddart & Co, becomes a full-time painter

    Exhibition Patrick at Portal, Portal Gallery, London (Nov-Dec)

     

    1969

    Exhibition Patrick at Portal, Portal Gallery, London (December)

     

    1971

    Travels with family to Los Angeles to work on animated film with Donovan Leitch, An Old Fashioned Picture Book

    Exhibition at Rex Irwin Gallery, Sydney

    Exhibition Nine Large Patrick Paintings, Portal Gallery, London (December)

     

    1972

    Designs set for The Great Northern Welly Boot Show, King’s Theatre, Glasgow

    Exhibition Patrick at Portal: an exhibition of New Smaller Paintings, Portal Gallery, London (October)

     

    1973

    Designs set for The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil for 7:84 Scotland

    Exhibition at Aitken Dott Gallery, Edinburgh

     

    1974

    Paints gable-end mural Boy on Dogback, Crawford Street, Glasgow

     

    1975

    Exhibition at Clunes Gallery, Sydney

    Exhibition John Byrne: Paintings and Drawings, Third Eye Centre, Glasgow; Paisley Museum and Art Galleries; Aberdeen Gallery

    Withdraws from exhibiting publicly until 1991

     

    1976

    Radio version of Writer’s Cramp, BBC Scotland

     

    1977

    Stage version of Writer’s Cramp, Edinburgh Fringe, transferring to Bush Theatre, London and Mickery Theatre, Holland

     

    1978

    The Slab Boys, The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, transferring to Royal Court, London, winning Evening Standard award for most promising playwright

     

    1979

    Normal Service, Hampstead Theatre Club, London

    The Loveliest Night of the Year (later called Cuttin’ a Rug), The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

    Becomes Writer-in-Residence, Borderline Theatre Co. Writes, directs and designs Dick Whittington for Borderline; writes Cara Coco for Radio Scotland

     

    1980

    Hooray for Hollywood, Louisville, Kentucky

    Becomes Writer-in-Residence, Duncan of Jordanstone School of Art, Dundee

     

    1982

    Still Life, The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

     

    1983

    The Slab Boys, The Playhouse Theatre, New York

     

    1984

    Writes episode of Crown Court

    Becomes Associate Director and designer at Leicester Haymarket Theatre

     

    1985

    Adaptation of The London Cuckolds opens at Leicester Haymarket Theatre

    Designs Peter Arnott’s White Rose at The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

    Writes Tutti Frutti

     

    1987

    Tutti Frutti transmitted

     

    1988

    BBC2 transmits Byrne about Byrne, written and directed by Byrne for BBC Arena

     

    1990

    Your Cheatin Heart is transmitted on BBC1 with Tilda Swinton as Cissie Crouch

     

    1991

    Returns to exhibiting and begins an intense period of work at Glasgow Print Studio

    Exhibition Your Cheatin’ Heart, William Hardie Gallery, Glasgow

    Exhibition Patrick, Portal Gallery, London (June)

    Exhibition Hankies, William Hardie Gallery, Glasgow

     

    1992

    Moves to London

    Colquhoun and MacBryde, Royal Court, London

     

    1993

    BBC2 transmits Boswell and Johnson’s Tour of the Western Isles, written and directed by Byrne

     

    1994

    Exhibition La Terre Sauvage, Glasgow Print Studio

     

    1995

    Exhibition New Works, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

    Exhibition “The Pensive Angel” and other paintings by John Byrne, Portal Gallery, London

     

    1996

    Directs film version of The Slab Boys in a Glasgow warehouse

     

    1997

    Slab Boys, premiers at Edinburgh Film Festival

    Byrne and Tilda Swinton have twins, Xavier and Honor

    Adaptation of The Government Inspector, Almeida, London

    Exhibition at House for an Art Lover, Glasgow

    Exhibition The Slab Boys, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

    Exhibition John Byrne / “Patrick”, Portal Gallery, London (October-November)

     

    1998

    Settles in Tain

    Exhibition The Slab Boys Movie Exhibition, Duncan R Miller Fine Arts, Glasgow

     

    1999

    Exhibition New Editions, Glasgow Print Studio

    Exhibition Flotsam and Jetsam, Art.TM Gallery, Inverness

    Group exhibition John Byrne and James McNaught – Two Scottish Painters at Portal Gallery, Portal Gallery, London

     

    2000

    Post Office issues Byrne designed 20-pence millennium stamp

    Exhibition Byrne@60: The Unsolved Artist, Paisley Museum and Galleries

     

    2001

    Awarded an MBE for services to literature and theatre (Byrne later returned it in protest against the war against Iraq)

    Two self-portraits included in the exhibition Four Hundred Years of Scottish Portraits 1600-2000 at Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh

     

    2002

    Exhibition Recent works, Glasgow Print Studio

     

    2003

    Writes musical Underwood Lane

    Exhibition Six Portraits of Scots Politicians, The National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh

     

    2004

    An adaption of Chekhov’s Uncle Varick opens at The Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh

    Exhibition New Work, The Fine Art Society, London              

    Exhibition A Life in Small Pictures, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

     

    2005

    Exhibition Dead and Alive, The Fine Art Society, London

     

    2006

    A stage version of Tutti Frutti for the National Theatre of Scotland opens at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen

    Exhibition Small Works - Portraits and Still Life, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

    Exhibition Me and Them - Self Portraits and Character Studies, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

    Awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen

     

    2007

    Becomes a full member at the Royal Scottish Academy

     

    2008

    Nova Scotia, The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

    Exhibition John Byrne, Moray Art Centre

    Exhibition Prints & Works on Paper, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

     

    2009

    Exhibition Cornerboys and Angels, Glasgow Print Studio

    Exhibition John Byrne: prints, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

     

    2010

    New version of Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh

     

    2011

    Exhibition Moonlight and Music, The Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh

    Exhibition Boogie-Woogie, The Rendezvous Gallery, Aberdeen

    Awarded an Honorary Doctorate from The University of Dundee

    Donald & Benoit written and illustrated by John Byrne (published by Rizzoli)

     

    2012

    Exhibition The Joyful Mysteries, The Fine Art Society, London

     

    2013

    A new mural is completed in the dome at The King’s Theatre, Edinburgh

    Exhibition Bad Smoky Joe & The Dark Wildwoods, The Rendezvous Gallery, Aberdeen

     

    2014

    Exhibition Dead End, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

    Exhibition Sitting Ducks, Scottish National Portrait Gallery

    A new adaption of Uncle Varick opens at The Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh

    Marries Janine Davies

    A new adaptation of Three Sisters opens at Tron Theatre, Glasgow

     

    2015

    Exhibition A Matter of Life and Death, The Fine Art Society, London

    Exhibition Zoo at the End of My Brush, Brown Gallery, Tain

    New production of The Slab Boys opens at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow and King’s Theatre, Edinburgh

     

    2016

    Exhibition Moonshine, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

     

    2017

    Exhibition Don’t Fence Me In, The Rendezvous Gallery, Aberdeen

    Exhibition Lullaby of Broadway, The Fine Art Society, London

    Exhibition Rock ‘N’ Roll, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

    Paints portrait of Billy Connolly for BBC1 documentary Billy Connolly: Portrait of a Lifetime; the portrait becomes a mural in Glasgow

     

    2018

    Exhibition The Boy and the Jabberwock: an exhibition of early works, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

    Exhibition John Byrne: Rogues’ Gallery, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh

    The designs set for The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil for 7:84 (1973) goes on display at the V&A Dundee, loaned by The National Library of Scotland

    Exhibition Alasdair Gray and John Byrne: Two Great Glasgow Polymaths, The Royal Glasgow Institute of The Fine Arts, Glasgow

     

    2019

    BBC Scotland re-broadcasts the six original episodes of Tutti Frutti

    Exhibition John Byrne: Then Till Now, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

     

    2020

    Exhibition John Byrne: Welcome to My World, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

     

    2021

    Tennis Elbow audio drama (sequel to Writer’s Cramp) broadcast on Sound Stage, Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh

    Donald and Benoit adapted for the theatre as an audio drama by John’s wife Jeanine Byrne and broadcast on Sound Stage, Pitlochry Festival Theatre

     

    2022

    Exhibition Ceci n'est pas une Rétrospective, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

    Exhibition John Byrne: A Big Adventure. Artist, Writer and Theatre Maker, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow

    World premiere of Underwood Lane musical play, directed by Andy Arnold, opens at Johnstone Town Hall, transferring to Tron Theatre, Glasgow

    Granted the Freedom of Renfrewshire           

     

    2023

    Exhibition John Byrne: Blowin’ Wild, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh

    Dies 30 November, aged 83

     

    2024

    Exhibition John Byrne: In the Studio, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh