Scottish Society of Women Artists

Although women artists had been associated with the RSW and the SSA from the beginning, and although a Glasgow Society of Lady Artists had been formed in 1882, many talented women artists continued to find it difficult to have the opportunity to exhibit their work due to overt male prejudice. In fact, it was 1938 before the RSA elected its first female Associate, and 1944 before a woman became an Academician. It was against such a milieu that Visual Arts Scotland was founded in 1924 as the Scottish Society of Women Artists, striking a blow for the feminist cause — and for the advancement of women in the arts in Scotland — and providing a much–needed platform and forum for applied arts. The SSWA’s exhibition moved to the National Gallery in 1941 where it exhibited annually until 1944; and since 1945, when Ann Redpath was President, it has shown its works at the RSA.

There it has continued a tradition of inviting artists of national and international standing such as Joan Eardley, Barbara Hepworth, Elisabeth Frink, Dame Laura Knight, and potter Lucie Rie to participate. The society also encourages the exhibiting of applied arts such as jewellers, ceramicists and textile artists in addition to painters sculptors and photographers. When Joan Renton became President in 1990 a major change occurred in that high-quality experimental crafts were encouraged and the name was thus changed to Scottish Artists and Artist Craftsmen. In 1997, John Bellany consented to become its Honorary President and to mark its 75th anniversary, it was felt that the adoption of the more succinct name — Visual Arts Scotland — would help consolidate its strengths.