Norman Shaw

Norman Shaw is a Lecturer in Fine Art at the Moray School of Art, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). With over twenty-five years of teaching experience, he has held academic positions at the University of Dundee, the University of Edinburgh, and Edinburgh College of Art, delivering both practice-based and theoretical instruction at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

His research lies at the intersection of art, philosophy, and cultural identity, with a focus on Highland landscape, Gaelic visual culture, mythology, and spirituality. He advocates for interdisciplinary learning, where artistic practice and theoretical discourse are deeply intertwined. His creative work spans drawing, painting, printmaking, sound, video, installation, performance, curation, and experimental writing, exhibited and published nationally and internationally.

The themes across his publications and projects reveal a sustained engagement with Deleuzean philosophy, apocalyptic narratives, Celtic art, and the metaphysical dimensions of landscape. His recent works explore sonorous Gaelic landscapes, fairy ointments as gnosis, and the indivisible nature of being, often blending scholarly analysis with poetic and visionary modes.

Norman has led significant research projects such as Window to the West, which redefined visual culture within Gaelic Scotland, and Cheer Up! It's not the end of the world..., reflecting on annihilation and existential themes. He has also contributed to collaborative and funded projects including Nemeton and Prints of Darkness.

As an educator, he supervises postgraduate research and teaches across all disciplines in Fine Art. He is also a musician and DJ, further enriching his interdisciplinary practice. His work is held in public and private collections, including major commissions.