Where Once there were Ships (Clyde Street, Broomielaw, Glasgow) is one of a series of works recording the artist's native Glasgow. This exquisitely painted picture shows the desolate and haunting scene of  the now empty quays that were at one time a hub of activity. Heavy industry in the shape of locomotives and shipbuilding had flourished in Glasgow since the Industrial revolution, aided by technological advances made possible by such Clydeside inventors as James Watt. The description "Clyde-built" became synonymous with quality and reliability. The launch of the three "Queens" - luxury passenger liners - was the pinnacle of Glasgow's ship-building achievement, but the changing structure of industry means that Clyde shipbuilding no longer needs the vast numbers of workers it once employed. 

Gary Anderson, born 1960

Born in Baillieston, Glasgow, Anderson studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1980 to 1984. He won the school's John D. Kelly Award in 1981 and the Royal Glasgow Institute's Cargill Award three years later. Since graduating he has received further awards and has exhibited widely, having one-man shows in Glasgow, London and New York.
The recurring subject-matter of Anderson's early work was studies from nature - animals, flowers and birds, particularly chickens. These works were influenced by a variety of artists, including Joseph Crawhall, Peter Blake and Gustav Klimt. In recent years Anderson has painted a number of architectural works, including individual buildings that have attracted his attention on visits to New York, Chicago, Istanbul and Venice. At first glance one might take them for old photographs, but closer inspection reveals carefully worked layers of crayon, watercolour, ink and washes that Anderson has painstakingly applied, paying close attention to detail.