Barbara Rae Biography

Barbara Rae is a Scottish painter and printmaker whose art has been exhibited across the globe. Known as an outstanding colourist, her work spans an array of mediums, including drawing, painting, screenprints, monoprints and etchings.

Rae mastered her craft at Edinburgh College of Art in the early 60’s. After being awarded a travel scholarship which saw her journey to France and Spain to continue her artistic education, Rae developed her fascination with travel, landscapes and in particular, the human traces and patterns of history that are left on a landscape, that characterise her work to this day.

To find inspiration, Rae travels the world. Once her sights are set on a location, she spends months getting to know the locals, diving into local history and familiarising herself with the landscape before she even thinks to open her sketch book.

Over the years, the accolades have come in thick and fast. In 1983, Rae was elected President of the Society of Scottish Artists. She was made a Member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1992, a Member of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland in 1995 and a Royal Academician just one year later. Rae rounded off the 90s by being awarded a CBE and receiving an Honorary Doctorate from Napier University in Edinburgh.