Rodger, Willie, RSA RGI DUniv
1930 – 2018
The first person elected ARSA to the new discipline of Printmaker. On abolition of Associate rank in 2005 he became RSA with no discipline specified. Trained at Glasgow School of Art between 1948 and 1952 with specialism in graphic design and carried out a post diploma year 1952-3. Married fellow GSA graduate Anne C. Henry in 1958. In 1970 he became a member of the Glasgow Group and was SAC-funded Artist-in-Residence at Sussex University in 1971. He is best known for his relief process prints particularly lino and woodcuts printed by hand without the use of a press. He collaborated with Peacock Printmakers on a number of projects over the years including the Wood From Trees series and the Bi-Centenary of Aberdeen's Union Street Banners. His design for the Scottish Historical Playing cards for Angus Ogilvy of the Stirling Gallery in 1974 were the first produced in Scotland in over 300 years. Through his exhibiting at The Stirling Gallery from 1974 Rodger's alter ego, the eponymous "Gilmour Whitecross" appeared as the (always unseen) observer of everyday life in a series of pen and ink drawings. He designed 10 stained glass windows all made by John K Clark and all but 1 of which are installed in churches as memorial or commemorative windows, including 8 in St Mary's Parish Church, Kirkintilloch on The Six Days of Creation [6], Easter [1] and Christmas [1]. That church also contains three wood carvings after his designs carved by fellow Academician Iain R McIntosh RSA. About 1980 he began working in black conte producing many powerful drawings of buildings, streetscapes and skylines of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth and Burnley. Visits to Europe, in particular Italy introduced sanguine and other warmer tones to his conte drawings. Encouraged to do so by the late William (Bill) MacAulay of The Stenton Gallery he also exhibited successfully as a painter. Amongst his book illustrations are The Field of Thistles by Monica Clough and Liz Lochhead's The Colour of Black and White.
