Alexander Millar was born in 1960 and grew up in a small mining village near Glasgow. He moved to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne after finishing school aged 16 where he tried various jobs before becoming a professional artist in 1988.
The pictures he paints are memories of his youth spent around these so-called gadgies; the characters featured in his art. He also gains inspiration from his now home town of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, where he claims there are many ‘gadgies’ for him to paint. A gadgie is a northern England and Scottish term used to describe gentlemen from an older generation.
For a self-taught artist, Alexander Millar has accomplished much for himself. Over the twenty years that he has been a professional artist, his fan base has grown steadily. His paintings are extremely popular among people of all ages because most people can identify with the character, as it reminds them of their grandparents or fathers.
