A Life Shaped by Gray’s School of Art

When sculptor Allan Watson first stepped onto the campus of Gray’s School of Art in 1982, he couldn’t have imagined just how deeply the place would shape his life, his career, and his creative identity. Today, more than four decades on, he is a full‑time artist, studio holder, mentor, and an enduring advocate for the transformative power of art school.

Discovering His Creative Home at Gray’s

Growing up on a farm in rural Perthshire, Allan always gravitated toward making things with his hands. But like many young people in the 1970s, he wasn’t entirely sure what “being an artist” really meant.

He applied to Art school and was accepted into Gray’s.

“It was the best thing that could have happened. Gray’s location, the community, the environment - it all became central to my work.”

Initially imagining himself as a painter, Allan changed direction after a first‑year sculpture project revealed his instinct for three‑dimensional thinking. The tools, materials, and physicality of sculpture echoed his farm upbringing. Sculpture didn’t just make sense - it felt like home.

A Place That Shapes Artists

Set on the edge of the city, surrounded by woodland and river, Gray’s proved to be the perfect environment for Allan’s developing practice.

“By third year, the river and landscape became part of my work. The natural environment, free materials - it was incredibly important.”

He describes Gray’s as a place where space, quiet, and open-air supported creativity in a way no city‑centre art school could. The isolation fostered focus. Students stayed all day, immersed. He remembers deer wandering across campus; woodpeckers in the trees. A place apart.

After graduating in 1986, Allan returned to complete a postgraduate degree and then with some gentle persuasion he became Gray’s first PhD student, completing a practice‑based PhD in sculpture in 1992.

Teacher, Mentor, Artist

Allan went on to teach at Gray’s for many years, eventually leading the Sculpture and Fine Art departments. His approach was rooted in professional practice, personal development, and creative resilience.

He championed modules that taught students how to communicate their work - building the business, writing, and professional skills that are often invisible but essential in the creative industries.

“A creative degree doesn’t limit you - it opens doors. Our graduates go into every industry imaginable. Your path can be a drunk worm. And that’s a good thing.”

Teaching also fed his own practice - sometimes directly, and sometimes by showing him what not to do. His artworks around labour, craft, and hand‑skill were influenced by watching students turn increasingly to digital fabrication.

But balancing full‑time teaching with full‑time making was tough. Sculptural work demands attention, precision and, importantly, energy. Eventually, he left teaching to devote himself fully to his practice.

A Daily Creative Life

Today, Allan works from his studio at Deemouth Artist Studios, where he continues to explore abstract, landscape, architecture, and material. He describes himself as happiest when he’s halfway through a piece - when the work is alive, problems are still unfolding, and momentum is building.

His recent work includes explorations of Aberdeen’s unloved mid‑century architecture, inspired by archival drawings and forgotten buildings across the city. He also continues to experiment across series, returning to ideas years later when they call him back.

Alongside his own practice, he co‑runs the studios, supporting Aberdeen’s creative community.

The Reality of the Creative City

Allan speaks candidly about the challenges for creative practitioners in Aberdeen - the fragmentation, the lack of a consistent contemporary arts audience, and the limitations of gallery infrastructures for artists working in large‑scale sculpture.

Yet he remains committed to contributing to the city’s cultural landscape and regularly exhibits, including recent work in the PRISM exhibition.

A Life Shared Through Art

Allan’s personal and creative life has been intertwined with Gray’s in yet another way: he met his wife, Julia, there in first year. They are both practising artists, both abstract in sensibility, though distinct in method. Their studios are separate - by choice and by creative necessity - but their lives are intimately connected through art.

On Creativity, Continuity, and Connection

Asked whether he feels fortunate to spend his life making art, Allan doesn’t hesitate.

“100%. This studio is a bubble - a protected space. I feel lucky every day I walk into it.”

He doesn’t know if he’ll still be making work at 80, but if he stops sculpting, he imagines he’ll find another outlet. Creativity doesn’t disappear; it shifts.

Advice for Future Gray’s Students

Allan’s advice is simple - and honest:

• Work harder than you think you need to.
• Be flexible; your path will never be straight.
• Be prepared to continuously learn how to communicate your work.
• Most of all: going to art school is one of the best decisions you'll ever make.

Allan will be opening his studio as part of Deemouth Artist Studios Spring market on 9 - 10 May 2026.

Why We Share Stories Like Allan’s

At RGU, we know that every graduate’s journey is unique - shaped by opportunity, challenge, and passion. Allan’s story is a testament to the lifelong impact that an art-school education can have, and to the powerful role that place, people, and community play in nurturing creativity.

His reflections remind us why Gray’s continues to be a special environment for artists to grow, explore, and define their path.

If you would like to share your story contact Tracy Ewing: