Joe Hargan DA PPAI PAI RGI

Joe Hargan was born in Glasgow, 1952. He studied drawing and painting at the Glasgow School of Art from 1970-74 under Danny Ferguson, James Robertson, and David Donaldson.

Joe has exhibited regularly his contemporary paintings since the early 1970s at: the Royal Glasgow Institute of Art; Royal Society of Watercolors; Royal Scottish Academy of Art; The Paisley Art Institute; Royal Academy, London; Dick Institute, Kilmarnock; British Watercolor Society & National Portrait Gallery.

Joe is a founder member of Group 81 Artists who regularly exhibited at McLellan Galleries, Glasgow. In 1981 Hargan was elected a member of the Glasgow Art Club. Then in 1985 he became a member of the Paisley Art Institute and later that year elected a council member. In 1989 he was nominated and voted Chairman and President of the prestigious Art Institute. He was to hold the post for 11 years.

In 1996 for the quality of his paintings and his service to Scottish art Joe Hargan was awarded the Paisley Art Institute diploma. The Art Institute was founded in 1876 and has built up a substantial art collection of Scottish Art. It promotes contemporary art through its annual exhibition and also organises the notable Scottish Drawing Competition every two years.

The body of Joe`s paintings are remarkable for their diversity. But his paintings are immediately recognisable and follow the rich tradition of vibrant, bold colourist Scottish paintings. Contemporary paintings by Joe Hargan of the renowned character `Sniffy` have featured in many of his paintings and are now collected by art lovers worldwide. Over the years Hargan has been awarded a number of art prizes reflecting and rewarding the quality and breadth of his talent.

Hargan draws inspiration from many sources: Italian renaissance art, Spanish art, American influences such as Rothko and Newman; and of course British artists Francis Bacon, Philipson and David Donaldson.

Joe has received numerous awards including Painting Prize, Glasgow School of art; Cargill Award, Royal Glasgow Institute; Torrance Award, Glasgow Institute; Mayor Oppenheim Award, Royal Scottish Academy; The Paisley Art Institute Award, Paisley Art Institute; PAI Diploma, Paisley Art Institute; Contemporary Fine Art Award, Paisley Institute; William Bowie Award, Paisley Art Institute; Maude Gemmell Hutchinson Award, Royal Scottish Academy; Reid Kerr College Award and the Paisley City of culture bid award.