Toby Paterson

One of Britain’s most successful visual artists, Glasgow-born Toby Paterson became a Cultural Fellow of the University in 2011.

A graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, Toby is interested in the relationship between abstraction and reality and his work is influenced by the built environment, in particular, post-war architecture.

Toby won the Beck’s Future prize in 2002 and his work Poised Array is installed outside the BBC Scotland Headquarters in Glasgow.  He has built an impressive reputation internationally for his fresh exploration of modernism in architecture and held many acclaimed exhibitions around the world.   He is the recipient of several public commissions, notably the completed Powder Blue Orthogonal Pavilion, part of the Portavilion project in London and the Docklands Light Railway for the London Olympics in 2012.

Toby’s art has its origins in his relationship with the city’s urban landscape. He was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters by GCU in 2011.

In 2005, Toby was commissioned by the University to make three large-scale wall-paintings for the Saltire Centre entitled, Potential Forms. The colour, form and shape of the art encapsulates the aims of GCU as a dynamic, young and inspiring University, which is committed to the common good and the development of its students. Toby works with the University’s graphic-design department and its students. His work is used within projects as a brief for graphic-design students to design proposals and develop their understanding of contemporary art.

This allows Toby and GCU students to talk about the ideas behind the art, while providing Toby with feedback and inspiration as he connects with GCU’s community.