John Lowrie Morrison - JoLoMo
Well respected international artist John Lowrie Morrison
(Jolomo) took time away from his studio today to revisit the
Glasgow organisation where he worked and painted while at art
school in the very early 1970's. While studying at Glasgow
School of Art, Jolomo did art therapy with some of the children at
East Park, an organisation for young people with additional support
needs such as autism. While writing his final year thesis on art
therapy, he worked with the children on art sessions as well as
painting some of them.
Jolomo's East Park paintings were exhibited as part of his
retrospective, Jolomo - A Passion for Colour, at Clydebank Art
Gallery and Museum in 2013. East Park Executive Director, Judy
Cromarty, saw the show and wanted to invite Jolomo to come back and
see just how much East Park has changed over the decades.
"I loved seeing the paintings. It was interesting from
both a personal and East Park point of view - these paintings are
so very different in style to his later landscapes. It got me
thinking how much East Park has changed as well - both physically
and in our approach to caring for and educating children with such
challenges as autism. I thought Jolomo might be interested in
our journey and wanted to share our wonderful new facilities - let
him see how we work with children now."
Jolomo and his wife had a tour of the school and
residences and met some of the children who now live and are
educated at East Park. He also judged the 2017 Christmas Card
Competition - a real honour for all involved. After 45 years
Jolomo clearly found some differences! As he said "I have
very fond memories of my time in East Park, and whilst the
education and learning has evolved over the years, it remains such
happy place for the children. I was very impressed by the
creativity and use of colour in the Christmas cards designed by the
children".
Staff and children alike were thrilled to host the visit
and meet a well-known artist who had been involved with East Park
almost five decades ago - someone with fond memories of the
organisation. Judy Cromarty said "Now we have made
contact with Jolomo, we hope that he will stay in touch and follow
our progress into the future. The work he did with the
children in the early 70's was wonderful and the paintings capture
the children well. He is welcome at any
time!"
