Introduction

There is something quietly extraordinary about Ron Sandford. For decades, he has been a steady, thoughtful presence in the creative landscape. He draws with unwavering discipline, every single day, as he has done for most of his life. It’s not just a routine, but a way of seeing, of being present, of understanding and honouring the world around him.

Born in 1937 in Greenock, Ron is a distinguished British artist, celebrated for his architectural drawings and distinctive style. He studied at the Glasgow School of Art in the etching and engraving department under Philip Reeves, and later at the Royal College of Art in London, where he studied graphic design under Edward Bawden. Over the course of his career, he taught at St Martin’s School of Art, the Central School of Art and Design, Brighton Art College, and the Royal College of Art.

His mastery of architectural detail led to collaborations with leading graphic designers and cultural institutions, including the Victoria and Albert Museum. His years living and working in Hong Kong further shaped his approach, blending architectural precision with Chinese and Japanese aesthetics.

In 2002, after a visit to Shetland, Ron relocated his family to Cullivoe in Yell, where he found a profound sense of personal and artistic freedom. Immersed in the local landscape and culture, he began capturing his surroundings with his signature combination of meticulous observation and creative expression.

His drawings reflect a unique blend of precision and free-spirited mark-making, a style honed through a lifetime of close attention to detail and the use of traditional tools: pencil, pen, ink, and watercolour. It is a practice shaped by hand, rooted in the tangible, and deeply personal.

Spirit of Places is evidence of what makes Ron’s work so resonant. He captures more than appearances - he captures the essence of a place, felt rather than seen. In one drawing, you might find the quiet weight of a peat bank, the hush of a community hall, or a flicker of everyday life in rural Shetland. In another, the view shifts: we are transported to the towering skylines of Hong Kong or a sweeping urban vista. Ron moves effortlessly between the intimate and the monumental reminding us that place is both where we stand, and how we sense the world around us.

Ron Sandford is a Royal Designer for Industry and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. His work is held in numerous private collections – a testament to his enduring impact on contemporary British art. Now, at 87, this exhibition is a celebration of a life fully dedicated to creative expression, through work that illuminates the spirit of the places we inhabit.

Karen D Clubb | Exhibition Officer | Shetland Museum and Archives | 2025

Ron Sandford, North Yell Bouquet, 36 x 45cm

Ron Sandford, In Da Kitchen, 49 x 37cm

Ron Sandford, Peat Bank, North Yell (I), 30 x 24cm

Ron Sandford, Extra Peats, 38 x 28cm

Ron Sandford, Cullivoe Snow, 39.5 x 29cm

Ron Sandford, Eshaness I, 38 x 23cm

Ron Sandford, Macau Window, 62.5 x 52cm

Ron Sandford, On Papil Ness, 41 x 28cm

Ron Sandford, Big Peat Bank, North Yell, 76 x 55cm

Ron Sandford, Da Voar Redd up Blues, 74 x 55cm

Ron Sandford, Gloup, Holm, 41 x 30cm

Ron Sandford, Weeds, 41 x 27.5cm

Ron Sandford, San Lorenzo, Macau I, 88.5 x 68cm

Ron Sandford, Cullivoe Fiddler I, linocut, 62 x 68cm

Ron Sandford, Cullivoe Fiddler II, linocut, 62 x 68cm

Ron Sandford, Tulips, 34 x 43cm

Ron Sandford, At Miganess, North Yell, 40,5 x 32cm

Ron Sandford, Lighthouse and Chapel, Macau, 76 x 66cm

Ron Sandford, Bright A M, 76 x 69.5cm

Ron Sandford, Shoreham Harbour Bridge, 74 x 57cm

Ron Sandford, Tulips 2, 60 x 52cm

Ron Sandford, Dutch Gifts, 42 x 45.5cm

Ron Sandford, Pink Quarry, Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island, 63 x 59cm

Ron Sandford, North Sea Sunflowers, Beryl A, 77 x 57cm

Ron Sandford, Twartree Seggie Flowers, 76 x 53cm

Ron Sandford, Garden Table with Pots etc., Italy, 80.5 x 56.5cm

Ron Sandford, Plum Blossom Window, Lamma Island, 104 x 97.5cm

Ron Sandford, Back of Sumburgh Head, 87 x 68cm

Ron Sandford, The Herra, Whalefirth, 72 x 55cm

Ron Sandford, Here be Nuggles, Moarfield Farm, Cullivoe, 69 x 58cm

Ron Sandford, North Lodge Observatory, Fetlar, 65 x 50cm

Ron Sandford, Magellan Daisies, Mid Yell, 49.5 x 41.5cm

Ron Sandford, Cullivoe Fiddler 5, Linocut, 62 x 86cm

Ron Sandford, Early Snow, Millby 2, 73 x 55cm

Ron Sandford, Geology, North Yell 1, 41 x 28.5cm

Ron Sandford, Geology, North Yell 3, 40.5 x 29cm

Ron Sandford, Brough Lodge Observatory, Fetlar, 69 x 54cm

Thanks to Ron Sandford and Karen Clubb for making this Exhibition and the Introduction available to us. What a thrill!

All images are copyright Ron Sandford.