Edinburgh man ignored talent for decades after being told it was 'for rich people'

Alistair McIntyre, 60
-Credit:Supplied


An Edinburgh-born artist who picked up painting in later life has said he 'ignored his creative side' after being told the arts were for 'rich people'.

Alistair McIntyre, 60, moved to Musselburgh just before the pandemic though spent most of his life in Granton. Despite being trained as a painter and decorator, he was told 'people like him' didn't become artists and didn't delve into his creative side until Covid left him with plenty of time.

Now, after studying painting with the Open College of Art, Alistair is set to see his works displayed in an exhibit at the Scottish Arts Club. While he's proud of the achievement, he says the best thing about his painting is the benefits to his mental health.

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While he did the 'odd drawing or watercolour' throughout his life, he didn't explore his creative abilities fully until recent years.

Alistair was diagnosed with schizophrenia back in 1994. He feels painting helps him manage his emotions and 'leave it all on the canvas'.

Speaking to Edinburgh Live , Alistair said: "I was brought up in Granton, and went to Trinity Academy.

'Now when stressful situations come up, I work it out through painting'
'Now when stressful situations come up, I work it out through painting' -Credit:Supplied

"When I left in 1980 I was sort of written off as someone who would never achieve anything. Once I'd left school I went on to be a painter and decorator.

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"I got mentally ill. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1994.

"I did get better, and retrained as a community learning and development worker. I moved from Edinburgh to Musselburgh in 2018."

When the pandemic came, Alistair found himself working from home with plenty of time.

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"As soon as I finished work I would just paint and paint and paint," Alistair continued.

"I thought, I have to do something with this. I signed up to the Open College of the Arts.

"I've been studying part time for a painting degree since then. It's helped me so much."

Alistair has since shown his work his various places, and has been painting 'all the time'. He told us creating art helps him process his emotions, and Alistair feels he 'leaves his emotions on the canvas'.

'The only feedback I had ever had was that people from Granton didn't become artists'
'The only feedback I had ever had was that people from Granton didn't become artists' -Credit:Supplied

He added: "I had done the odd drawing or the odd watercolour throughout my life.

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"The only feedback I had ever had was that people from Granton didn't become artists. It was a rich people thing.

"People from my background didn't achieve anything. It wasn't really until the pandemic that I had the type to delve into it."

Alistair now has hundreds of paintings, so many that he's been 'handing them out'.

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He added: "Stress kind of triggers my mental health problems.

"Now when stressful situations come up, I work it out through painting. I get it out my system that way.

"I do a lot of landscape paintings, but they're not just about the actual landscape. I use the emotions of how I felt at the time and how the place made me feel."

You can see more of Alistair's work at the Scottish Arts Club on Rutland Square from March 6.