In the time of the growing male long hair movement and flares were first flowing, David Dawson had aspired to be an artist.
Being “reasonably skilled” in art at school, David, from Aberdeen, found he enjoyed drawing and painting and his hands were always kept busy.
However, his father at the time had other ideas and said he should swap art school for becoming an engineer.
So that is what Airyhall resident David did.
It was not until many years and several careers later when the 66-year-old had retired that he wanted to pick up his passion again.
Two years ago, when looking for a place to mingle and develop his artistic talents, he came across the Northern Arts Club.
Club over 100 years old
A place for local artists and aspiring creatives to share knowledge and work on their craft, it is the city’s oldest independent art club.
David, the now chairman of the board, said they also hold tutorials, workshops and exhibitions.
First set up in 1907, its members have included some well-known names including James McBey who was a member in 1910.
David said the club even has a receipt from one of McBey’s paintings selling for six guineas, an “awful lot at that time”.
In 1919, members clubbed together to buy a building designed by Archibald Simpson in Bon Accord Square. Costing around £1,250 then – worth about £79,600 these days – the club still use and own the four-storey building.
The bottom and top floor studios are hired out to artists while the other two floors are used by around 70 club members each week.
Engineer turned artist
Reflecting his many various jobs – which included building big robots, project management in the oil industry and work in the aerospace industry – David rarely sticks to one medium.
“I’m all over the place,” he said. “I do watercolour, I do oils, acrylics, I carve wood – I try my hand at everything.
“I’m always interested in how things are done. That’s the engineer in me, I want to know how things work.”
Just now he is working on sculptures and wood carving, some of which will be on display this weekend for the club’s Autumn Exhibition.
He hopes it will give members a chance to display their artwork and also encourage people to learn more about the group.
Like himself, many members are retired with their eldest regular and “phenomenal artist” aged 92.
This is something of a concern for David who wants to be able to pass the club on.
Autumn Exhibition
He added: “My main driver is to get more younger people to come along and keep the club going as much as possible.
“The aim is to keep it alive, to keep it active and to keep it fully engaged with all the other artistic endeavours going on in and around Aberdeen.”
He encouraged anyone interested in the club or the building to come along for the exhibition on Saturday and Sunday November 25 and 26.
The exhibition will be open from 10am-5pm at the Northern Arts Club, 8 Bon Accord Square, Aberdeen over the weekend where visitors can view and purchase studio artist and member artworks.
Conversation