Guthrie Award Awarded for Outstanding work by artists under 35 Sponsored by Royal Scottish Academy Date 1920; 105 years ago (1920 ) Country Scotland First awarded 1920 Current Winner Daniel Nelis
The Guthrie Award is awarded annually with few exceptions to at most two recipients by the Royal Scottish Academy and is one of the most prestigious art awards in Scotland. It is named after the artist James Guthrie .
Foundation of award
The award was founded in 1920. It was to commemorate the presidency of the Royal Scottish Academy by James Guthrie . It is awarded for the most outstanding work adjudged in the Royal Scottish Academy exhibition of the year to artists under the age of 35 (although the joint winner of the first award David Macbeth Sutherland was around 37 in 1920).
Scottish-based
It is usual for the award to go to a painting and its artist, but occasionally sculptures and sculptors have also won. In 2021 the award was won by the artist and film-maker Emily Beaney for an experimental documentary. The award is open to any nationality, but the exhibition participants must be based and active in Scotland. The 1994 winner Joe Fan was originally from Hong Kong; the 2008 winner Trine Pedersen was originally from Denmark; the 2023 winner Daniel Nelis is originally from Ireland.[ 1]
Members and non-members of the RSA
The under 35 age requirement and the sheer number of exhibits - now around 600 annually - mean that the Guthrie Award is difficult to win more than once; however this has been done: by Heather Ross in 2006 and 2007; and by Julie-Ann Simpson in 2014 and 2019. Non-members of the RSA can apply to be in the Open exhibition, although around only a couple of hundred non-member exhibits make it through annually from the thousands of applications received, as around 400 exhibits are reserved for members.
Prize monies and medals
Usually the award is awarded singularly, but on occasion the award has gone to joint winners. The award, originally made by an anonymous donor but in 1930 revealed to be the late (17th) Earl of Moray,[ 2] who gave a monetary value on the capital endowment of £1000 as well as the honour of the award. Nowadays a medal is also presented. In its early years, the monetary award was £50. Today the award monies stand at £750. If the award is shared, the prize monies are also shared.[ 3]
Guthrie Award Awarded for Outstanding work by artists under 35 Sponsored by Royal Scottish Academy Date 1920; 105 years ago (1920 ) Country Scotland First awarded 1920 Current Winner Daniel Nelis
The Guthrie Award is awarded annually with few exceptions to at most two recipients by the Royal Scottish Academy and is one of the most prestigious art awards in Scotland. It is named after the artist James Guthrie .
Foundation of award
The award was founded in 1920. It was to commemorate the presidency of the Royal Scottish Academy by James Guthrie . It is awarded for the most outstanding work adjudged in the Royal Scottish Academy exhibition of the year to artists under the age of 35 (although the joint winner of the first award David Macbeth Sutherland was around 37 in 1920).
Scottish-based
It is usual for the award to go to a painting and its artist, but occasionally sculptures and sculptors have also won. In 2021 the award was won by the artist and film-maker Emily Beaney for an experimental documentary. The award is open to any nationality, but the exhibition participants must be based and active in Scotland. The 1994 winner Joe Fan was originally from Hong Kong; the 2008 winner Trine Pedersen was originally from Denmark; the 2023 winner Daniel Nelis is originally from Ireland.[ 4]
Members and non-members of the RSA
The under 35 age requirement and the sheer number of exhibits - now around 600 annually - mean that the Guthrie Award is difficult to win more than once; however this has been done: by Heather Ross in 2006 and 2007; and by Julie-Ann Simpson in 2014 and 2019. Non-members of the RSA can apply to be in the Open exhibition, although around only a couple of hundred non-member exhibits make it through annually from the thousands of applications received, as around 400 exhibits are reserved for members.
Prize monies and medals
Usually the award is awarded singularly, but on occasion the award has gone to joint winners. The award, originally made by an anonymous donor but in 1930 revealed to be the late (17th) Earl of Moray,[ 5] who gave a monetary value on the capital endowment of £1000 as well as the honour of the award. Nowadays a medal is also presented. In its early years, the monetary award was £50. Today the award monies stand at £750. If the award is shared, the prize monies are also shared.[ 6]
List of Guthrie Award winners
The List of Guthrie Award winners is a list of artists who have won the award.
Year
Winning Artist 1
Work 1
Winning Artist 2
Work 2
Notes
1920
Kate Campbell Muirhead
Elizabeth
David Macbeth Sutherland
The Painting Student
Muirhead's work was a bust sculpture, Sutherland's work a painting.[ 7] [ 8] [ 9]
[ 10]
1921
Cecile Walton
To Nobody Knows Where
[ 11]
1922
John Rankine Barclay
The Artist's Wife
[ 12]
1923
James Wallace Ferguson
A Visitor
[ 13]
1924
Donald Moodie
Autumn Day
George William Salvesen
The Dance
Moodie for a painting, Salvesen for a sculpture.[ 14] [ 15]
1925
Laelia Armine Cockburn
A Rough Lot for Sale
[ 16]
1926
David Shanks Ewart
The Toilers
[ 17]
1927
Ancell Stronach
The Unexpected Meeting
[ 18]
1928
William Crozier
The 'Cello Player
Margaret Findlay
The Bathers
Findlay's work a sculpture, Crozier's work a painting.[ 19] [ 20] [ 21]
1929
William Lamb
Ferryden Fisher Wife
A sculpture.[ 22]
1930
Robert Sivell
Miss Jean O. H. Morton
[ 23]
1931
Ian Campbell
Self Portrait
[ 24]
1932
Alister Maitland
Alice Ann
He was noted at the time as the youngest winner, aged 21.[ 25]
1933
Thomas Whalen
The Amazon
For 3 sculpture works The Amazon, Mother's Kisses, and Torso.[ 26]
1934
William Wilson
The Alcazar, Segovia
For a group of Wilson's work. The named piece was a drawing. Wilson was a noted engraver.[ 27]
1935
James McIntosh Patrick
Marion
[ 28]
1936
Alexander George Oliphant
David Kerr Esq.
[ 29]
1937
Mary Nicol Neill Armour
Cantaloupe
[ 30]
1938
Ian Fleming
The Painters: McBryde and Colquhoun
[ 31]
1939
William Drummond Bone
Leisure
[ 32]
1940
Scott Sutherland
Labor Vincit
A sculpture.[ 33]
1941
David Abercrombie Donaldson
Alfred
[ 34]
1942
James Alan Davie
Brenda Mark
[ 35]
1943
Alberto Morrocco
Leon
Colin Gibson
Lisbeth
[ 36]
1944
Margaret Kennedy Mackenzie
Pieta
Gordon Stewart Cameron
Boy with Apple
Mackenzie's work was sculpture, Cameron's work was a painting.[ 37]
1945
Robert Henderson Blyth
Winter in Walkerburn, 1939
[ 38]
1946
George William Lennox Paterson
Frank Tweedie and the Birds
[ 39]
1947
James Hillocks
Portrait of my Mother
[ 40]
1948
Sinclair Thomson
The White Shawl
[ 41]
1949
Alistair J. T. Paterson
Still Life
[ 42]
1950
Tom M. Macnair
Jean Hannan
A terracotta sculpture of a head.[ 43]
1951
Robin Philipson
Brenda, Spring Portrait
[ 44]
1952
Ellen Malcolm
Portrait of a Young Man
[ 45]
1953
William Alexander Burns
Sunday
[ 46]
1954
Ann Henderson
Composition
A sculpture.[ 47]
1955
Brenda Clouston
Youth
A sandstone sculpture.[ 48]
1956
David McClure
?
McClure exhibited five works:- Harbour, Millport; The Green Hill; Trees, Millport; Self portrait; and Flowers At A Window.[ 49]
1957
Brenda Mark
Figures In Moonlight
[ 50]
1958
Margot Sandeman
The Walk Across The Fields
[ 51]
1959
Jean Fleming
?Landscape painting
[ 52]
1960
John Houston
Pigeons and Village
David Alan Redpath Michie
Red Flower
[ 53]
1961
William Hunter Littlejohn
Painting 1960
Littlejohn had 3 paintings at the exhibition; the other two being White Glass and Green Bottle, each a still life work. Littlejohn considered that it was his abstract work Painting 1960 that had won the Guthrie Award.[ 54]
1962
Elizabeth Blackadder
Still Life on a White Table
Blackadder had another two works: Auray; and Breton Church.[ 55] [ 56]
1963
Alex Campbell
Rehearsal
[ 57]
1964
Bill Scott
Seated Figure
A sculpture.[ 58]
1965
Robert Callender
Ludo
[ 59]
1966
George Alexander Macpherson
?
[ 60]
1967
Archibald Dunbar McIntosh
?
[ 61]
1968
John Knox
Swing and Stool - After Uccello
[ 62]
1969
Alexander Fraser
Shankar at the Blue Piggery
[ 63]
1970
Leon Morrocco
Figure in a Bedroom
[ 64] [ 65]
1971
Ian McKenzie Smith
Reflections (Harbour)
[ 66]
1972
Frances Pelly
Greenheart Woman
[ 67]
1973
George Donald
Virginia's Quilt
A padded canvas work.[ 68]
1974
?
?
1975
?
?
1976
Award withheld.[ 69]
1977
Barbara Rae
Sea Dreamers
[ 70] [ 69]
1978
Ian Howard
Misdirection
[ 71]
1979
Ronald Forbes
?
Forbes exhibited two works: All Set; and Scarecrow[ 72]
1980
?
?
1981
Martin Churchill
Palace Hotel
[ 73] [ 74]
1982
John Mooney
?
[ 75]
1983
Ian Robertson
?
[ 76] [ 77] [ 78]
1984
Lennox Dunbar
Sweep
[ 79]
1985
David Cook
Fooled You
[ 80] [ 81]
1986
?
?
1987
Fiona Dean
Still Life With Work Objects
[ 82] [ 83]
1988
?
?
1989
Jacqui Miller Nixon
Warrior
[ 84]
1990
Joseph Davie
?
Davie submitted two works:- A Journal Of The Blackout: Unwelcome Heroes; and The Spirit Of The Community[ 85]
1991
?
?
1992
?
?
1993
David Hosie
?
[ 86]
1994
Joe Fan
In Evil Hours
[ 87]
1995
Philip Braham
?
[ 88]
1996
Robbie Bushe
Laughing Boys, Tomorrow They Will Be Gone
[ 89]
1997
Stephen Mangan
?
[ 90]
1998
Barry McGlashan
?
[ 91]
1999
Alasdair Wallace
Field
[ 92] [ 93]
2000
Delia Baillie
Fantasies of the Dustbin
[ 94]
2001
Kevin Dagg
?
A sculpture.[ 95]
2002
?
?
2003
?
?
2004
Steven MacIver
?
[ 96]
2005
?
?
2006
Heather Ross
?
[ 97] [ 98]
2007
Heather Ross
?
[ 97] [ 98]
2008
Trine Pedersen
?
[ 99]
2009
Sharon Thomas
?
[ 100]
2010
?
?
2011
Briony Anderson
?
[ 101]
2012
?
?
2013
?
?
2014
Julie-Ann Simpson
Among Silver Birches
[ 102]
2015
Georgia Rose Murray
Rainbow Trout Cormorant Noir
[ 103]
2016
Emily Moore
?
[ 104]
2017
Kristina Chan
Leith Theatre, The Stage
A laser etched woodcut.[ 105]
2018
Ed Compson
Shutterstock Infinity Klee
An oil & laser etching on board.[ 106]
2019
Julie-Ann Simpson
Stings To Be Gathered
[ 107]
2020
Online exhibition due to coronavirus pandemic
2021
Emily Beaney
Breaking the Fall
A trilogy of experimental documentaries.[ 108] [ 109]
2022
Claire Moore
The Murder of Mr Muster
[ 110]
2023
Daniel Nelis
Dark Turned Fields
[ 111]
2024
Rae-Yen Song
Song Dynasty Beast
Sculptural costume[ 112]
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