95:, Scotland. By living frugally he lived a full two years in Callanish, partly by teaching art at the village school. In this period he made a series of abstracted figurative paintings based on the landscape and figures he there. He continued to paint from these memory for almost 18 years. These are known as the Hebridean paintings, and they later helped to establish Cumming as a painter of
179:, who has achieved an International reputation, and was a contemporary of Cumming, has given rise to many interesting comparisons. This was succinctly put by the critic and artist Edward Gage in 1977: "Cumming's language is drawn logically from scientific research and procedure while Davie's is a haphazard and personal affair of ritual symbols and dances".
48:, where he won prizes in several subjects. At the school he was remembered as a serious student who strove for the best results in everything he did. He showed early promise in music, excelling in piano and winning distinction at every grade. His artistic talents were nurtured at school by the teacher and artist
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with the heavy impasto and rich colour themes of his contemporaries in the
Edinburgh School. His later colour experimentations were to be as much intellectual as expressive, leading to a deeper synthesis of harmony and contrast. A strong element of fine draughtsmanship is a constant throughout Cumming's work.
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Aside from a series of carefully composed still lifes, many of
Cumming's later works were derived from investigations into recent discoveries with the electron microscope. This latter period has its apotheosis in the painting 'Metaphase' (Acceleration) 1971, which demonstrates Cummings exceptional
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The two principal periods in
Cumming's painting are the figurative abstraction of the early sixties derived in main part from his Lewis experience and the more geometrical and purer abstraction of the seventies onwards. The "painterly" yet thinly applied textures of Cumming's early work contrasts
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Following his service he returned to live with his parents and his studies at
Edinburgh College of Art completing his Diploma in 1948 and his postgraduate degree in 1949. He was awarded a Travelling Scholarship, which he used to live and work in the remote island community of
44:, in 1922. His father was superintendent of the local swimming baths, where James swam 100 lengths every morning before school. His mother was a factory worker, James was the first of her three children. He was educated at
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He married the artist Betty Elston in 1953 and their marriage continued until his death in 1991. He was survived by Betty, his son
Timothy Cumming, entrepreneur and artist, and daughter
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Cumming lectured at the
Edinburgh College of Art between 1950 and 1982, teaching both in the Humanities and the Painting school. Students of this time included Sandy Moffat,
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in 2009. Cumming is remembered with great affection for his gentlemanly encouragement, sparkling wit and the range of his intellect. He was elected
Academian of the
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in 1994: "Cumming and
Philipson were ambitious artists who strove to create a genuinely original vision; others achieved as much reputation with less struggle".
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Cumming's paintings, spanning a 30-year period, were celebrated in 2012 in a retrospective exhibition of his work at the Talbot Rice
Gallery in Edinburgh.
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He displayed an early determination to become an artist, winning an Andrew Grant
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Cumming's work was included in the Scottish Gallery retrospective exhibition in 1993 entitled
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Cumming's position in post-war Scottish art is perhaps best summed up by the art critic
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abilities in composition, draughtsmanship and his acute colour sensitivity.
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1964: Awarded International Scholarship in the Humanities, Harvard USA
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article describing Cumming's various artistic periods: Pippa Atkins,
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1969–73: Member of the National Broadcasting Council for Scotland.
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1974: Member of the National Council for Academic Awards, London
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1939–41: Studied Edinburgh College of Art, Andrew Grant Scholar
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between 1939 and 1947, but his studies were interrupted by the
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1980: Lothian Region Prize in the RSW Centenary Exhibition
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in 1970 and acted as its Secretary between 1978 and 1980.
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Thunderclap: A Memoir of Art and Life & Sudden Death
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1970: Elected Academician of the Royal Scottish Academy
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1950: Appointed Tutor in the Painting School, ECA.
479:. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 100.
291:The Dictionary of Scottish Art and Architecture
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201:1941–46: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
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427:University of Edinburgh - News and Events
293:. Aberdeen: Glengarden Press, p. 128
529:. Edinburgh: Mercat Press. p. 62.
355:. Edinburgh: Merkat Press. p. 11.
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630:Royal Air Force pilots of World War II
625:Alumni of the Edinburgh College of Art
406:. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 100.
207:1951: Royal Scottish Academy Award
580:44 artworks by or after James Cumming
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286:. Edinburgh: Mainstream, p. 100
277:The Dictionary of Scottish Painters
640:20th-century Scottish male artists
296:Smith, B., and S. Skipwith, 2003.
279:. Edinburgh: Canongate, p. 48
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275:Harris, P., and J. Halsby, 1990.
242:The Community: A Festival of Time
504:. Glasgow: Collins. p. 41.
477:Scottish Art in the 20th Century
404:Scottish Art in the 20th Century
284:Scottish Art in the 20th Century
325:Cumming, Laura (25 June 2023).
610:20th-century Scottish painters
300:. London: Merrill, p. 195
272:. Glasgow: Collins, p. 41
67:, completed pilot training at
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327:"Fabritius, my father and me"
231:1978–80: Secretary of the RSA
225:1973–78: Treasurer of the RSA
16:Scottish painter and lecturer
391:The Scottish Gallery Website
237:1982: Retired from Teaching
175:The work of Scottish artist
150:, author and art critic of
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442:The Royal Scottish Academy
402:MacMillan, Duncan (1994).
195:1922: Born Dunfermline
298:A History of Scottish Art
265:. Edinburgh: Merkat Press
620:Edinburgh College of Art
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453:See, for example, this
46:Dunfermline High School
28:in the postwar period.
615:Scottish male painters
254:Cumming, Laura, 2023.
136:Royal Scottish Academy
551:"Talbot Rice Gallery"
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73:RAF Transport Command
525:Firth, Jack (1995).
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104:The Edinburgh School
97:The Edinburgh School
36:Cumming was born in
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502:The Eye in the Wind
270:The Eye in the Wind
289:McEwan, P., 2004.
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261:Firth, J., 1995.
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463:The Journal
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38:Dunfermline
594:Categories
511:0002111942
413:185158630X
305:References
190:Chronology
177:Alan Davie
561:23 August
89:Callanish
32:Biography
438:Obituary
118:Teaching
42:Scotland
336:11 July
160:His art
91:on the
584:Art UK
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142:Family
81:Burma
77:India
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563:2012
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