McClenaghen draws parallels between the action of light and weather upon his subjects and the action of colour and marks upon the canvas.
Born in Falkirk, John McClenaghen pursued his artistic education at the Glasgow School of Art before continuing his studies at the Universities of Huddersfield, Liverpool, and Chester. After dedicating many years to combining his artistic practice with teaching at various UK art schools, John transitioned from his position as Programme Leader for Fine Art at Wrexham School of Art to part-time teaching in 2020, allowing him to focus more intensely on his painting career before becoming a full-time artist in 2025. Throughout his career, John has exhibited extensively across the UK while also showcasing his work internationally in Shanghai, Sofia, and Krakow.
Academic and Artistic Journey
John's connection to the Scottish landscape runs deep through his family heritage. The grandson of a ploughman and nephew to both a shepherd and a farm foreman, his early years were partly spent on farms around Stirlingshire and the East Lothian coast. This formative experience created an enduring theme in his work, drawing him repeatedly to coastal landscapes where land meets sea. His artistic approach was shaped at Glasgow School of Art in the 1980s, where he explored various media before returning to painting as his primary medium. Beyond creating art, John has contributed to the academic discourse on artistic practice, writing book chapters published by Q-Art and Black Dog in London, and presenting papers on painting at prestigious venues including the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester.
Capturing Experience Through Color
John's artistic process focuses on translating sensory experiences into visual form. He is particularly interested in painting's unique ability to relate experience by drawing parallels between natural phenomena and artistic technique—comparing the action of light and weather upon landscapes to the action of color and mark-making on canvas. Through his work, John strives to move beyond mere representation toward reconstructing emotional responses to place. He returns repeatedly to the same locations, working with color from the outset to create dynamic surfaces that harness the fluidity of paint. This approach allows him to celebrate nature's abundance while exploring the rich visual history embedded in the landscape, creating works that resonate with both the physical world and human experience.