Collection: A. J. Callan Artist Biography and Art Gallery Collection

A.J. Callan, with fun and unique subject matter, he creates memorable and enchanting artwork. A. J. Callan is a Scotish Artist who was born in Glasgow in 1958 during a period of new confidence and optimism in Britain. Surrounded by all of the new ideas and art that emerged from this new mindset, Callan was urged to use his imagination and follow his dreams. From a young age he'd been interested in art and so after school he went to art college and studied fine art and graphic design for five years. Upon graduation, A. J. Callan entered the advertising industry, but always made time to work on his own projects outside of work. In 2005, he left advertising to be a full-time artist. In his whimsical artworks, Callan depicts everyday situations with humor and skill, but the subjects of his compositions are not humans, rather, they're pigs. "My work combines the real and the imaginary," A. J. Callan notes.

A.J. Callan gets his inspiration is varied, ranging from the animation from The Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" to the work of Leonardo da Vinci. Callan also counts Charles Renee Mackintosh and Joseph Wright among his influences.Whilst Callan's main body of collective works are instantly identifiable by their facilitation of pigs, typically presented in light-hearted, whimsical situations (habitually in two-dimensional form on canvasses, yet latterly experimenting with clear glass sculptures of piggies, containing colored glass inside), the best-selling contemporary artist's inspirations came courtesy of some of the art world's iconic heavyweights. Da Vinci's technical aptitude fascinated a young Callan, while the romance of Charles Renee Mackintosh's pieces and the grasp of lighting techniques incontestably showcased by Joseph Wright simply blew him away. Having said that, A. J. Callan also admits to having being a massive fan of the animation used in the telling of the Yellow Submarine story, and being mesmerised by its riot of colors and shapes and general lucidity.