Alex Dunn was born in Glasgow in 1951. His family moved to the Highlands when he was seven years old, and he has lived here ever since, first on the west coast and then in Cromarty and now in Strathpeffer. After graduating from Aberdeen University in 1972 with an MA in economic history he worked as an assistant factor for Cromartie Estates at Castle Leod and then as managing director for a small hardwood sawmill in Strathpeffer, which job he left in 2003 to concentrate on sculptures and drawings.
His parents were potters – his father latterly became a peripatetic art teacher in primary schools around the Black Isle – and in those circumstances it was natural and inevitable that art of some kind should play an important part in his life. His style and interests have changed radically through the years, from realism to wooden sculptures to monochrome abstract drawings to his present pictures made from cut paper and graphite.
In 1992 Alex Dunn and his wife Zan started Ardival Harps, a company specializing in the design and production of small harps – gut-strung, bray harps and wire-strung clarsachs – using historical techniques and local materials. Although a small business Ardival has become one of the leading historical harp-makers in the harp world, and instruments have been exported to four of the five continents as well as being owned and used by many famous harp players. The drawings which Alex Dunn did from 2003 to as late as 2008 were obviously inspired by his work with the harps and at the sawmill, and by the grains and patterning of wood; but although that influence has become less apparent since 2008, the ebb and flow of inspiration between his pictures and the design of the harps continues to be both strong and nourishing.
Since 2003 Alex Dunn has exhibited at or taken part in exhibitions at the following galleries:
2003
Cromarty Group Annual Exhibition, Cromarty, Highlands
2004
Collins Gallery, Glasgow
Lost Gallery, Aberdeen-shire 2004 – 2006
Kilmorack Gallery, Beauly, Highlands
Cromarty Group Annual Exhibition, Cromarty, Highlands
2005
Leakey’s Bookshop, Inverness, Highlands
Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition, Edinburgh
Tore Gallery, Tore, Highlands
Cromarty Group Annual Exhibition, Cromarty, Highlands
2006
Amber Roome Gallery, Ediburgh
Leakey’s Bookshop, Inverness, Highlands
Cromarty Gallery, Cromarty, Highlands
Cromarty Group Annual Exhibition, Cromarty, Highlands
2007
An Tuirrrean Open Exhibiton, Portree Skye
Merchant Gate Gallery, Glasgow
Amber Roome Gallery, Edinburgh
Gallery Heinzel, Aberdeen
Cromarty Group Annual Exhibition, Cromarty, Highlands
Leakey’s Bookshop, Inverness, Highands
An Tuirrean, Skye – ‘Sealladh 4’
Mary Vaults Exhibition, Inverness, Highlands – Highland Artists
Timespan, Helmsdale, Highlands
2008
Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, Highlands
Cromarty Group Annual Exhibiton, Cromarty, Highlands
2009
Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, Highlands – ‘Highland Artists One’
Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, Highlands – ‘Highland Artists Two’
Cromarty Group Annual Exhibition, Inverness, Highlands
2010
Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, Highlands – ‘Highland Artists: Hellish Dark and Smells of Cheese’
Cromarty Group Annual Exhibition, Cromarty, Highlands
Glenmoriston Town House Hotel, Inverness, Highlands – artist in residence 2010 –
QUOTES
‘The more you look into the fine lines and construction of the work the more emotionally absorbed you become.’ Georgina Coburn, reviewer for Northings, HiArts web magazine
(Scottish Arts Council) 2008
‘There is always a sense of individual struggle in the thematic scope of Dunn’s work, a kind of hard-edged sensitivity which is visually and intellectually engaging, consistently presenting the human condition in abstract form.’ Georgina Coburn, reviewer for Northings , HiArts web
magazine (Scottish Arts Council) 2009
‘The soft texture of the backing in ‘Peeling the Sunrise’ gives this image an air of gentle revelation. Presented beautifully in a deep frame, this piece is wonderfully contained gesture.’ Georgina Coburn, reviewer for Northings, HiArts web magazine (Scottish Arts Council) 2010
‘The sometimes strict, geometric compositions of the work do not refer to something seen, but rather are of imaginary architectural and geometric structures.’ Steven McKenzie, gallerist at An
Tuirrean, Portree, Skye, in the introduction to Alex Dunn’s page on the Axis web gallery page,
2008
If you would like to comment on the pictures or on the site, or to ask about prices or commissions, please use the ‘Contact’ page.
Links to friends and family of Alex Dunn:
ardival.com
billtaylor.eu
jane-dunn.com
plexusmedia.co.uk
michaelforbes.co.uk
andrew-dunn.net
cynthiacathcart.net
erlendtait.com
pamelatait.com
rosienewman.co.uk
celloharp.com