Well known for his art, his public speaking, and his teaching, Gordon S Laird, former assistant principal of Dundee College, has died at the age of 94.
Gordon was born in Dundee in 1929. Raised by his grandparents in Lochee, he attended Ancrum Road Primary School and then Harris Academy before moving on to Dundee Art College in Bell Street.
At school he played rugby, beginning a life-long love of the game that endured after his playing days were over. With groups of friends, he followed the Scotland national team to France, England, Wales, and his particular favourite, Ireland.
At art college he specialised in drawing and painting but turned his hand to anything else that was offered, including ceramics and sculpture.
After graduating, he joined Valentine’s, spent some time as a freelance illustrator, then trained as a teacher.
Gordon taught at various Dundee schools before joining the then commercial college as the sole art teacher. His art room was at the top of the old Tay Street School.
When the new building on Constitution Road opened, the art department again occupied the top floor. It was from here that Gordon painted the townscape Dei Donum which now hangs in the McManus Gallery.
Many generations of college students, and evening class attendees, passed through the much enlarged art department. Some were there as part of a commercial qualifications, others as preparation for art colleges elsewhere. A number of established artists began their careers at Dundee College.
A further move to the college’s Graham Street building finally managed to move the department off the roof and on to the ground floor.
With all the facilities of the art department around him, Gordon experimented with them all and encouraged the students to do the same.
When he was not teaching, Gordon loved hillwalking, spending many days in the Cairngorms. In all the years he roamed those hills he only seriously hurt himself once, breaking his ankle. As was typical of him, it was more than three days before he was persuaded to go to casualty to have it treated.
On many occasions he took groups of students to the hills. Many of these youngsters had never stepped outside Dundee’s city limits before. Other trips with students included several outings to London to tour the galleries.
Over the years, Gordon was a popular and in-demand public speaker, a dab hand at Burns Suppers. Using an old reel-to-reel tape machine to help, he memorised Tam O’ Shanter, coincidentally teaching other members of the family at the same time.
Keeper of the book
As a member of the Nine Trades he was for some time the Keeper of the Lockit Book and often spoke at their grand dinners.
His speaking engagements continued after his retirement in 1993, as did his art. Loading his gear into his much-loved Land Rover, he would spend a day at a roadside or in a village square with his easel and watercolours.
He always liked to include a spot of red in every landscape or townscape. This led to a small boy looking at his easel asking him if he worked for the Post Office.
Being a Land Rover station wagon it allowed him to continue painting even when the Scottish weather tried to halt proceedings.
After his retirement, Gordon moved to Kellas. Having been evacuated to Kingsmuir during the Second World War he had a great affection for the country lifestyle. He enjoyed life there, working in his garden, hosting family gatherings, and welcoming friends old and new.
Gordon was a Dundee, specifically Lochee, man who loved his home town, and could be relied on to work for it.
From paintings of DRI, Harris Academy and Maggie’s Centre to be sold to raise funds, to speaking at many Dundee gatherings, to helping Dundee’s students, he was an ambassador and supporter of the city.
Gordon is survived by his wife of almost 70 years, Sheena, his son Calum, daughter Shona, daughter-in-law Liddy, son-in-law Jock, and four grandchildren, Duncan, Catriona, Mairi, and Ruairidh.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
Conversation