Kyle Blain

Scottish painter exploring working-class life, memory and popular culture

A Wee Bit About Me…

I’m Kyle Blain, a Scottish artist from Clackmannanshire and a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, where I specialised in Painting and Printmaking.

My practice explores working-class life, memory, identity and popular culture through expressive painting. Drawing from old family photographs, everyday moments and cultural references, I create work that reflects the people, places and experiences that shape our lives. Combining bold, gestural brushwork with moments of realism, my paintings seek to transform ordinary subjects into something both personal and widely relatable.

Alongside my studio practice, I work with schools and communities across Scotland, delivering creative projects that encourage people of all ages to engage with art and tell their own stories.

Get in Touch!

Shop

A watercolor painting of two children outside in a grassy yard with houses in the background. One child, a boy with a scrunched face, is standing with his hands behind his head, wearing a light blue shirt and dark pants. The other child, a girl, is sitting on the grass, looking at the boy, and holding a basket.

Common People

My ongoing project “Common People” is a painting series that captures quiet, everyday moments of working-class life, inviting viewers to reflect on their own memories, families, and sense of belonging.

Find Out More

Order my Debut Publication!

This photo art book follows my recent series “Common People” from conception all the way through to my degree show installation!

Common People – Limited Edition A4 Book
Common People – Limited Edition A4 Book
£24.00

Common People

By Kyle Blain

60-page A4 Perfect Bound Booklet | Matte Cover

Common People brings together the paintings from Kyle Blain’s ongoing series of the same name, tracing the development of the work from its origins - an old blue bag of family photos - through to its culmination in the 2025 Glasgow School of Art Degree Show.

This 60-page A4 booklet features full-colour reproductions of the paintings alongside process images, notes, and reflective writing that charts the evolution of the series. More than a catalogue, it offers insight into Kyle’s practice and thinking, documenting how a deeply personal project grew into a wider exploration of class, memory, and the people and moments we choose to hold on to.

Printed with a soft matte cover and perfect bound for a clean, professional finish, Common People serves as both a personal archive and a standalone artwork in its own right.

Blurb (back cover):

Common People is a heartfelt painting series by Scottish artist Kyle Blain, rooted in family memory, working-class identity, and the quiet dignity of everyday life. Inspired by a dusty bag of old photographs, Kyle transforms personal snapshots into powerful portraits of domestic spaces, fleeting gestures, and shared moments. Using humble materials like emulsion and spray paint, his work bridges the gap between the gallery and the home, offering a deeply human look at the people and places that shape us. Both personal and universal, Common People invites us to see beauty in the familiar and meaning in the ordinary.

Read More
A young man with a beard and short hair, dressed in a gray sweater and black pants, standing outside an art gallery called Kyle Blain Art. The gallery displays various artworks inside, with a large window showing paintings and a hoodie with artwork on it. The young man is smiling and looking at the camera.

Catch up on my Blog!

Want to find out more about some of the projects I’ve worked on?

Check out my blog below!

Blog
A painting of two men in business suits shaking hands in the middle of a street with buildings on either side. One man is on fire.
Painting of a man with short dark hair and tattoos, wearing a vibrant blue patterned shirt and green pants, standing in a room next to a wooden wardrobe and a bed with a yellow blanket.
Painting of a bison in a mountainous landscape with snow-capped peaks, green trees, and a blue sky with clouds and flying birds.
A detailed, colorful painting of a gorilla's face, featuring expressive eyes and textured fur.
A realistic painting of a heron with a blue crown and white streaks on its head, standing against an orange background.
Two children sitting by a pond; one pointing at a swan and duck swimming in the water, both children are focused on the pond.
Black and white painting of a man wearing sunglasses, a cap, and a tuxedo, playing an electric guitar with the band name AC/DC in red letters above him.
An abstract portrait painting of a woman with short hair, holding a small object near her mouth, against a vibrant pink and green patterned background.
Painting of two young children lying on the floor, looking at the ceiling. The background features colorful patterns and numbers, with one child dressed in a blue shirt and the other in a black top, with a banana resting beside them.
A scene inside a room with a young child standing on the floor, wearing a black jacket with white and gray accents, and blue patterned pants. Behind the child, there is a chair with a Winnie the Pooh illustration, a wooden table with a black cat on a
A colorful painting of a monkey holding a banana, set against a background of green palm leaves.
Painting of a family sitting on a bench in a garden yard, with a pink flowered bush and a house with a brown roof in the background.
Painting of a family in a living room, with a woman holding a child in front of a mirror, and a man sitting on a chair reading a book.
A young man with brown hair and beard browsing a table of items inside a clothing store. The table has jewelry, magazines, and small accessories. Behind him, clothing hangs on racks, and framed pictures are on the wall. There's a hoodie on a chair ne
A painting of a man and woman sitting close, looking into each other's eyes, with a blue object partially visible at the bottom.
A young boy in a striped shirt is standing at a kitchen counter, using an electric hand mixer in a mixing bowl. There are various kitchen items and a box of toys in front of him, and a window with a view of a backyard with fencing and buildings.
A portrait painting of a woman with dark, wavy hair, wearing a black leather jacket and a t-shirt with the Rolling Stones logo, against a red background.
Art gallery exhibit featuring paintings and large speakers; a colorful monkey painting on a leaf-patterned backdrop, with other portraits and artwork on the white walls.
A room with a framed painting of two people holding hands in an urban setting, three white record shelves filled with vinyl records, a black leather chair with a red cushion, and a tall floor lamp with a beige shade.
Painting of a young boy blowing out birthday candles on a cake, with a man helping him.
Painting of two young children lying on their backs in a colorful room. The child on the left is wearing a light blue shirt with the number 9 and some text on it, and the child on the right is wearing a black and white shirt. The room has bright yell
Colorful acrylic portrait of a woman with short gray hair, wearing a red and black jacket. The background is bright with red, yellow, pink, and white patterns, including a large red star, a pink heart, and a blue square, creating a pop art style.
A vibrant, watercolor-style painting of a woman with red hair in a blue and white outfit floating upward against a starry blue background, with three men observing from below, one kneeling and two sitting near a gravestone.
A colorful painting of two young men, one playing a guitar and the other sitting, with art supplies and paint jars in the foreground.
Entrance to an art gallery with an open glass door, displaying paintings inside, including a deer, a monkey, and a woman with glasses.
A painting of a dog standing in a vivid red hallway. The dog is looking up at the upper floor's staircase. The words "skint y fa" are written at the top in bold yellow letters.
Painting of a man dressed as Joker, with clown makeup, green hair, red jacket, and dark background.
Painting of a lion with a mane in shades of orange, brown, and white, with a dark background.
A room displaying various art pieces including paintings on the wall and on tables, as well as a guitar on the wall. The paintings feature portraits, abstract art, and scenes, with a rug on the wooden floor.
Painting of three children, two standing and one sitting, inside a vehicle with blue seats. The children are smiling and looking at the camera.
Collection of five paintings on white gallery wall, including a portrait of a person with arms crossed, a musician playing piano, a man with a beard, a person at a desk, and a bull with mountains in the background.
A snowy residential neighborhood with houses, trees, and fences under a cloudy sky.
A painting of a young boy with light brown hair, wearing a beige jacket, sitting at a table with a woman in a blue shirt. The boy is reaching towards a colorful box on the table, which has a globe design on it, and the woman is pointing at the box.
Painting of a woman in white shirt and black pants standing outdoors with a background of a house, yellow flowers, blue sky, and trees.
Interior of an art gallery displaying portraits and artwork, clothing on a rack, and a person wearing a hoodie with a group portrait design.