William McLaren screening in Aberdour

William McLaren: An Artist Out of Time will be screened at the The Foresters Arms, Aberdour, Fife on Thursday 11th November 2010 at 7.30pm.

Edinburgh based filmmakers Robin Mitchell, from Cadies Productions Ltd, and Jim Hickey, from Freedonia Films, will present this fascinating new documentary about the life and times of Scottish painter, commercial illustrator and muralist McLaren. The film follows the work of and hears stories about this remarkable and long-suffering Scottish hero, and will be screened And So Goodbye.

Robin and Jim will take part in a question-and-answer session after the films. Born to a mining family in 1920s Cardenden, McLaren went on to produce work in some of the finest houses in the UK. In 1962 a commission to create a series of paintings for Hopetoun House near Edinburgh was the breakthrough for McLaren, leading to decorative commissions in private houses and public places throughout Scotland and the UK. His illustrations appeared regularly in the 1950s and 1960s in the BBC's Radio Times. He became a prolific book illustrator and designer of dust-jackets for over 150 books.

The filmmakers have traced hundreds of works by McLaren and many of these are included in their documentary, together with testimony from those who knew him. McLaren died in 1987, aged 64, leaving behind a range of work that will surprise and delight many people.