Tom McKendrick was born in 1948 in Clydebank, Scotland. Growing up here has had a marked influence on his work, he entered shipbuilding aged 15 and served an apprenticeship as a ‘Loftsman’ in the famous John Browns Shipyard. The greater part of his apprenticeship was served on the Cunard liner QE2.  In 1970 he moved on to Glasgow School of Art.

McKendricks techniques are as varied as the contents of his shows. He is at ease creating in clay, steel, paint, light, or indeed anything that the current project demands to bring it to fruition. Major exhibitions of acclaim include Blitz, Submarine, Rivet Temple, Iron, Heavier Than Air and Soldiers. Each has been the subject of a television documentary and enjoyed highly successful tours with record breaking gallery visitation levels. Primarily a painter his work is identified by its rich surface texture. His techniques lie at the extreme end of watercolour painting.