“Common People”

Working-Class Stories.

My final year at GSA, found my practice to be focused on telling the stories of working-class life in Clackmannanshire, the area of central Scotland where I grew up. Drawing from old family photographs, my work captures a sense of nostalgia, sentiment, and quiet gratitude for simple, candid everyday moments. Using mainly household emulsion paints, I aim to preserve and celebrate the overlooked details of ordinary lives, offering a glimpse into the shared experiences of a community often underrepresented in contemporary art

These works are part of an ongoing project titled “Common People”

About the Series.

My work centres on everyday moments of working-class life, often drawn from personal memories and old family photographs. Inspired by my upbringing in Clackmannan, a small town in central Scotland, the paintings revisit familiar, often overlooked scenes. Like holidays and football kits or quiet afternoons at home. I’m especially interested in the kind of images that feel deeply intimate yet universal and speak to a kind of collective memory.

I use a mix of emulsion, acrylic, and spray paint to try and capture the atmosphere and emotional weight of these moments, blending bold mark-making with moments of quiet reflection. While the people I paint are usually members of my own family, they become a way of talking about the bigger picture, serving as an honest depiction of working-class life, with all its humour and complexity.

Materials & Process.

Many of the paintings are made using household emulsion, layered with acrylics and spray paint. I like how the materials reflect the subjects, they’re accessible, practical, and unfussy, like the people I paint. I’m not trying to recreate a photo exactly, I’m trying to make something felt. Sometimes that means working quickly and instinctively, leaving in imperfections that mirror the realness of the moment.

Why It Matters

Growing up in Clackmannan, Scotland, I rarely saw the kind of life I knew reflected in galleries or textbooks. That’s a big part of what drives this work. I want to document something honest, to paint not just people, but the feeling of belonging to a close-knit community. These paintings are about love, routine, resilience, and the small details that quietly make up a life. It’s about making art that feels familiar, accessible, and true.

My Book

Common People – Limited Edition A4 Book
Common People – Limited Edition A4 Book

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.

Self-Portrait, Emulsion and Acrylic on Canvas, 30x40cm, 2024
Mum & Dad, Emulsion & Acrylic on Wood Board, 40x50cm, 2024
Painting of a family in a living room. A woman holds a young boy, both looking in a round mirror on the wall. A man with glasses, dressed in a dark sports jacket, sits on a sofa reading a book. A side table with a lamp and various items is next to hi
Dad’s Birthday, Emulsion and Acrylic on Canvas, 40x30cm, 2024
A painting depicting a young boy in a black helmet and dark clothing standing on green grass near a body of water. Several ducks and swans are swimming in the water, with ripples around them.
Painting of a young person with a bear hat, wearing a green 'GAP' hoodie, against a light background.
A family birthday celebration with a young boy holding a birthday cake with a blue candle, surrounded by seated adults and a girl standing. The scene is indoors with a cozy, homey atmosphere.
A painting of a young boy with dark hair smiling, pointing towards the viewer, and holding a newspaper with the headline 'COOL IT!'. The boy is wearing a blue shirt and white pants. The background includes a wooden cabinet with decorative items and a
A colorful painting of two men with dark hair and facial hair, sitting outside in a backyard. One man is lying on the ground, shirtless, with legs extended. The other man is sitting on a chair, leaning forward, reaching towards the ground. Clothes ha
Pop, Emulsion, Acrylic & Spray Paint on Canvas, 95x120cm, 2025
Painting of a child dressed as Spider-Man standing indoors with a couch, a laundry basket, and a small table with shoes in the background.
A woman and two young boys playing in a backyard garden. The woman is squatting on steps, reaching toward the grass. One boy is kneeling and the other is sitting on the grass, all engaged in play. There are toys and gardening tools on the ground, and
A watercolor painting of a snowy village scene with houses, fences, and a cloudy sky.
A lively outdoor birthday celebration with several adults and children. A woman is sitting and laughing as she opens a gift with a toy train on it. Others are gathered around, smiling and interacting, with balloons, food, and drinks on the table. The
Painting of a man in a white shirt and black pants standing outdoors near a wooden structure, with a blue sky, trees, and a house with a chimney in the background.
Beyond the Washing Line, Watercolour on Wood Board, 40x50cm, 2025
Painting of a rural landscape with green fields, hay bales, rolling hills, and a sky with light clouds, featuring a power line with a utility pole.
A painting of a young boy in a striped shirt and shorts walking on grass in front of a camper with a large umbrella, patio chairs, and a table, with a lake and trees in the background under a cloudy sky.
Painting of a young child in a blue outfit and matching cap sitting on a red surface.
A painting of three women and a young child sitting outdoors on steps in a residential yard. One woman is holding the child, and another is sitting next to them. In the foreground, a person with short hair is kneeling on a sidewalk, facing the group.
A painting of a church with a graveyard in the foreground. The church has a clock tower and arched stained glass windows, set against a blue sky.
An outdoor scene with three boys playing soccer in front of a wooden fence. Behind the fence are residential houses with sloped roofs, trees, and a partly cloudy blue sky.
A colorful portrait of a woman with dark hair, wearing a green jacket, making a fierce facial expression with clenched teeth and narrowed eyes.
Painting of a family lying on a colorful blanket, with two children and an adult, featuring bright colors and bold brushstrokes.
Painting of a rural landscape with houses, green hills, and a cloudy sky.
Painting of an elderly man with gray hair, wearing a blue jacket and light-colored pants, standing on a boat and looking out at the blue water and green hills in the distance.
A painting showing a young boy standing indoors with a black cat on a table nearby. The background features a window with bars and a red roof visible outside. The boy is wearing a black Hoodie with
A painting of a group of yellow and brown apartment buildings with snow-covered roofs, viewed from a balcony or window. The sky is clear and blue, with some trees in the background.
A painting of two children by a pond, with a swan and duck swimming nearby. One child, with blond hair, is sitting and looking at the water, while the other, with dark hair and glasses, is standing and pointing at the swan. The background features tr
A painting of two children, one with glasses and short gray hair, and the other with short blond hair, both focusing intently on something on a table. The background shows wooden furniture and various objects, including a small bouquet of flowers and
A painted picture of a cozy corner with a table lamp, a colorful cat, a remote control, and a knife placed on a wooden table. The background features a warm-colored wall with red and yellow stripes.
A painting of two children sitting at a table, one boy in a beige shirt and another in a blue shirt, with a colorful toy or game on the table.
Painting of two boys and a baby in a stroller with water in the background.
Painting of a young woman with dark hair, sitting with her hand holding a phone to her ear. She has a nose piercing and wears necklaces. She is wearing a sleeveless black top and has a hoop earring. The background shows various items, including a bot
A young person with short brown hair and rosy cheeks, sitting on a couch, wearing a colorful jacket with red, white, black, and blue, resting their head on their left hand, smiling with closed eyes.