Catriona Reid has been teaching art students at HMP Greenock for more than eight years.
Under Catriona’s guidance, prisoners produced amazing works of art which were collected together for an exhibition at Beacon Arts Centre in November last year.
Catriona, 49, said she is so proud of the exhibition – called Inhibition – and said it had an ‘immeasurable impact ‘.
She added: “I loved being able to see the work of the students exhibited.
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“So much work was generated for it.
“It was a great success and was such a positive experience, and I’m really hopefully that it will happen again.
“I think everyone knows that art can be transportive and therapeutic, and is an essential part of our humanity.
“In my time teaching in prison, I’ve gained real lived insight into the potential that art has to open minds and strengthen new ways of seeing our world, breaking negative thought patterns and challenging long-held beliefs of insecurity.”
Her first pet was a wee lamb, and she said she had an amazing time there for many years.
When she was 16, Catriona got a job at the Jaeger menswear factory in Campbeltown.
She worked there until she managed to secure a job on the SeaCat, a ferry which launched in 1992 and operated between Scotland and Northern Ireland, when she was in her late teens.
Catriona said: “I had a pillbox hat and a silk scarf, and got to see Liverpool, Dublin, and Belfast.
“I was walking around with my eyes like saucers taking in all of the sights.
“It was a great life sailing.”
Catriona worked her way up the ranks on the SeaCat to become an officer, and spent 10 years at sea before the whole team were made redundant.
Her daughter Laurie was born in Northern Ireland, and her son Robert was born when she moved back to Glasgow.
She began to follow her dream of becoming an artist when she arrived back on the west coast.
Catriona studied art at NC, HNC and portfolio level at James Watt College, and graduated in 2015.
She gained a place at Glasgow School of Art and after her study, graduated with an honours degree in environmental sculpture.
Catriona then worked in the widening participation department of Glasgow School of Art, supporting young people applying for universities, and also ran her own portfolio courses, which led to her teaching art.
Catriona added: “My classes aim to provide support by teaching how to critique artworks; how to describe literally what it is that we see and communicate our thoughts and opinions with honesty and respect.
“I am always mindful that to ask people to create a painting in the prison environment is asking them to be exposed to criticism.
“Unlike a maths class where no one asks to see inside your jotter, the entire process, every failure, every change of direction is there for all to see.
“To learn there must be failure along the way.
“It is a brave thing to do, and it brings confidence.
“Sometimes though, a wee bit of colouring in and good chat is really what’s needed.”
Catriona’s own artistic practice was inspired by the incredible Scots pine trees which peppered where she grew up.
She started out designing beautiful ink drawings on tiles and has now branched out into adding more colour into her work.
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Catriona has held a pop-up in McGilp’s in Gourock twice, and is represented by a gallery in Dorset.
She also featured in photographer Garth Ivan’s ‘The Artists and Craftsmen of Inverclyde’ exhibition at the Beacon.
Catriona added: “I feel very proud to be part of that, and the opening night was really special.
“The portrait was a lovely thing to happen.”
Catriona said it feels great to be part of such a strong creative community in Inverclyde.
She added: “There’s a real artistic cohesiveness in Inverclyde now.
“We’re all making great connections.
“There’s a thriving creative community here in Inverclyde and everyone is very supportive.”
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