George Birrell was born in 1950. He trained at the Glasgow School of Art from 1967 - 1971 and was involved with the Hospitalfield Summer School in 1970. He had an impressive line up of pedigree tutors including Leon Morrocco, Goudie, Robertson, Donaldson, Fergusson and William Crosbie. After leaving art school George taught art and design in Scottish schools for the next decade, starting painting full time in 1990s.

Birrell lectured in art, design and photography from 1985 - 1998. Since then he has taken part in regular joint and group art exhibitions at many Scottish galleries and also abroad.

George Birrell produces landscape paintings of his native Scotland. The East Coast Scottish towns and fishing villages of Fife hold a special fascination. His use of strong colour is boldly handled and his compositions are stylised. 

Speaking about his paintings Birrell says: 'I paint neither on the spot nor from photographs, but improvise the remembered essentials of a place, in the comfort of my art studio. Harbours and their bric-a-brac attract me, as do mills and castles. Texture, colour and pattern are what I use to evoke feel-good locations.'