1926

Born October 6th in Trinidad of Scottish parents, Duncan & Isabella. Duncan is an engineer on a sugar plantation. They also have another son, Jim, Norman’s older brother.

1936

Having already crossed the Atlantic umpteen times, he finally returns to Scotland permanently.

Norman attends Marr College, Troon, where he is captain of the rugby team.

1944

Norman joins the Navy at 17.

He serves for 4 years as a radar operator on HMS Liverpool, stationed mainly in the Mediterranean.

1948

Believing painting would be “a vocation that would last a lifetime”, Norman enrolls as a student at Glasgow School of Art (GSA) on an ex-serviceman’s grant, studying Drawing & Painting.

His parents are not in favour, but he placates them by saying he intends to be a commercial artist.

1951

Marries fellow GSA student, Pat Jordan.

1952

Birth of first son, Paul.

Dismissed in final year at Glasgow School of Art as “unteachable”.

Works as scenic artist at The Citizens Theater and other venues, Glasgow.

1953

Birth of second son, Bruno.

Works as a pig-man while living in caravan, the irregular hours left time to paint.

1954

Norman gets his first break as his work is included in a mixed exhibit at The Piccadilly Gallery, London.

1957

Selected to exhibit in Artists of Fame and Promise alongside Jacob Epstein, David Bomberg and Christopher Nevinson at The Leicester Gallery, London.

Teaching art as an uncertified teacher in Dunbartonshire.

1962

Birth of third son, Daniel.

Begins teacher training.

1963

“Grudgingly” granted Diploma by Glasgow School of Art.

1967

Trips to London hawking his pictures around the galleries pay off, as he celebrates the first of two solo shows at The Upper Grosvenor Gallery, London.

The first of two solo shows at The Traverse Theatre Gallery, Edinburgh.

Vogue publishes a feature on his work, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Painter.

1969

Birth of fourth son, Mark.

Second Edinburgh Festival show at The Traverse Gallery, Edinburgh.

1970

Second solo show at The Upper Grosvenor Galleries, London.

1973

Solo exhibition: Ansdell Gallery, London.

1974

Scope: Norman Gilbert, BBC TV Documentary produced and directed by W. Gordon Smith is broadcast, 5th March.

Solo exhibition: Talbot Rice Centre, Edinburgh University.

Artwork taken into the collection of Stirling University.

1975

Solo exhibition: Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling University.

1976

Solo exhibition: City Art Gallery, Leeds.

Artwork taken into the collection of Kelvingrove Art Galleries, Glasgow.

1981

Solo exhibition: Drian Galleries, London.

1985

Family move to the large Victorian Terrace House where Pat grew up, in Pollokshields, Glasgow.

Norman is to live and work here for the next 34 years.

1989

Solo exhibition: Drian Galleries, London.

Artwork taken into the collection of Hertfordshire Education Authority.

1992

Retrospective exhibition: Eden Court Theatre Gallery, Inverness.

1998

Solo exhibition: Lloyd Jerome Gallery, Glasgow.

1999

Works exhibited at Richmond Hill Gallery, London.

2001

Work selected for Art for Europe, Scotland House, Brussels.

Participates in Fresh Art Fair at the Business Design Centre, Islington, London.

2003

Participates again in Fresh Art Fair, Business Design Centre, London.

2006

Solo exhibition: Gallery Gora, Montreal, Quebec.

2010

Solo exhibition: Howden Park Centre, Livingston.

Norman’s wife, Pat, is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.

2013

As he continues to care for Pat, Norman begins a trio of works entitled Pat. These images picture Pat on her own, echoing earlier pictures created when they were first married.

2016

Solo exhibition: The Sutton Gallery, Edinburgh. This was to be the last of Norman’s shows that Pat attended. She died of an Alzheimer’s related stroke on August 3rd, the day before their 65th wedding anniversary. Norman created his final drawings of Pat as he kept vigil by her bedside during her last days. The resultant series of twenty-five drawings, Hospital Drawings of Pat, depict her as she lay dying in the hospital.

2017

Included in the annual Royal Glasgow Institute (RGI) exhibition, Glasgow, as an “invited artist”.

2018

Solo exhibition: Passion, Vision & Spirit held at Tatha Gallery in Newport on Tay. Amid the publicity, the BBC produces a short film as part of their online Loop arts strand. The Unteachable Artist is viewed more than 7million times creating a new worldwide audience for his work.

Norman’s hospital drawings of Pat are exhibited for the first time in Drawing to a Close: End of Life Drawings by Norman Gilbert, Yellow Door Gallery; a collaboration with the End of Life Studies Dept at Glasgow University. The exhibition which receives national news coverage is part of the UK-wide Being Human Festival.

2019

Solo exhibition: Passion, Vision & Spirit II, Tatha Gallery, Newport on Tay.

Norman dies on 19 December, at QEII Hospital, Glasgow, of complications following a fall in which he broke his hip.

2020

Book entitled Pat: End of Life Drawings by Norman Gilbert is published, with the support of Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia; and the Dementia Services Development Trust, Scotland.

Solo exhibition: Norman Gilbert 1982-2018, Koppe Astner, Glasgow.

Solo exhibition: Norman Gilbert: A Life in Colour, Tatha Gallery, Newport on Tay.

2021

Joint exhibition: The Armory Show, New York’s Art Fair, New York, USA. Presented by Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh.

2022

A five month solo Norman Gilbert Retrospective exhibition: Tramway Gallery, Glasgow.

Joint exhibition: Tatha Gallery, Newport on Tay.

2023

The Kaleidoscope Turns | Private View: Thursday 8th June (6 – 8pm).
Exhibition continues: 9th June – 25th June.

ARUSHA Gallery, Dundas Street, Edinburgh.