About
Alan McGowan was born in 1964 in Glasgow, he studied for his degree at Edinburgh College of Art and a post-graduate in Educational Development at the University of Northumbria, since when he has been a practicing artist and teacher. His figure paintings and portraits have regularly featured at exhibitions of contemporary figure art, he has taught at many prestigious academies of fine art, and in 2026 authored a book on Expressive Life Drawing published by Crowood Press.
His work has featured in The RP Portrait Drawing Award; The Scottish Portrait Awards (2017, 2018, 2026), the BP Portrait exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London; the Threadneedle Prize for Figurative Art; the Society of Portrait Sculptors exhibition, The Ruth Borchard self portrait exhibition, The Royal Scottish Academy and many others.
In 2014 he was a semi-finalist in the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the year and his work is featured in the international painting annual reviews INPA5, 6 & 7, published by Manifest in Cincinatti USA. His works appear in the public collections of the Royal Scottish Academy, Stirling University and Art in Healthcare and he is winner of the Wood Award (Visual Arts Scotland), the Bowie award for painting (Paisley Institute) and the Powderhall Foundry award for sculpture.
He has exhibited widely throughout the UK and internationally in group shows in South Korea, Portugal, Finland, Italy, the Czech Republic and the USA.
In 2022 the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival hosted his live figure painting performance Flow which was developed as an award winning short film https://youtu.be/8PKvEQ0eELE
Alan also teaches figure drawing, painting and anatomy for artists. These courses are in workshops at independent studios, online or at art institutions which have included the Royal Academy in London; The National Portrait Gallery; Edinburgh College of Art; Wackers Academy Amsterdam; Burnt Umber Studios in Stroud; Dundee University; The Museum of London; The Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin; Leith School of Art and the Royal Collection Gallery, Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh.
ISBN 978-0719847011
"Unstill Life; Paintings, Drawings and Writing." McGowan. Saturation 2017.
ISBN 978-0957242814
“The Language of the Body: Figure Drawings in Four Chapters.” McGowan. Saturation, 2012.
ISBN 9780957242807
“Faust, Exhibition Drawings”. McGowan. University of Northumbria, 1997.
ISBN 0-9534674-0-6
“The Art of Man” (edition 14) magazine article. Firehouse Publishing, New Jersey. August 2013.
ISBN 978-1940290904
“Nude 4”. Manifest Press, Cincinatti, OH 45206. September 2012.
In 2014 he was a semi-finalist in the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the year and his work is featured in the international painting annual reviews INPA5, 6 & 7, published by Manifest in Cincinatti USA. His works appear in the public collections of the Royal Scottish Academy, Stirling University and Art in Healthcare and he is winner of the Wood Award (Visual Arts Scotland), the Bowie award for painting (Paisley Institute) and the Powderhall Foundry award for sculpture.
He has exhibited widely throughout the UK and internationally in group shows in South Korea, Portugal, Finland, Italy, the Czech Republic and the USA.
In 2022 the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival hosted his live figure painting performance Flow which was developed as an award winning short film https://youtu.be/8PKvEQ0eELE
Alan also teaches figure drawing, painting and anatomy for artists. These courses are in workshops at independent studios, online or at art institutions which have included the Royal Academy in London; The National Portrait Gallery; Edinburgh College of Art; Wackers Academy Amsterdam; Burnt Umber Studios in Stroud; Dundee University; The Museum of London; The Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin; Leith School of Art and the Royal Collection Gallery, Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh.
Publications
Expressive Life Drawing. McGowan. The Crowood Press Ltd 2026ISBN 978-0719847011
"Unstill Life; Paintings, Drawings and Writing." McGowan. Saturation 2017.
ISBN 978-0957242814
“The Language of the Body: Figure Drawings in Four Chapters.” McGowan. Saturation, 2012.
ISBN 9780957242807
“Faust, Exhibition Drawings”. McGowan. University of Northumbria, 1997.
ISBN 0-9534674-0-6
“The Art of Man” (edition 14) magazine article. Firehouse Publishing, New Jersey. August 2013.
ISBN 978-1940290904
“Nude 4”. Manifest Press, Cincinatti, OH 45206. September 2012.