Q&A with Muriel Gray

Source: McAteer Photo

Last month, 바카라사이트 Glasgow School of Art announced that author and broadcaster Muriel Gray - a?GSA graphic design and illustration graduate - would be 바카라사이트 first female chair of its board of governors.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in 1958 in East Kilbride, on 바카라사이트 outskirts of Glasgow.

How has this shaped you?
I¡¯m Glaswegian through and through, hence we had 바카라사이트 work ethic and 바카라사이트 mantra ¡°don¡¯t get above yourself¡± drummed into us. This is good and bad. It may be grounding, but it also has 바카라사이트 pernicious effect of sometimes increasing self-criticism to unhelpful levels.

How does it feel to be 바카라사이트 first female chair?
I¡¯m utterly thrilled, although it seems a little ridiculous that it¡¯s taken this long to happen. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 greatest honour, and I¡¯ll work hard to live up to it.

Did being an alumna help to sway your decision to accept?
It had everything to do with it. The school has always been a?major part of my life, even before I was lucky enough to be accepted as a student.

What does higher education mean to you?
Higher education has always represented freedom to me, 바카라사이트 liberation of ideas and 바카라사이트 stepping stone to opportunity, not just in terms of employment and fulfilment, but for 바카라사이트 improvement of self and 바카라사이트 world at large.

Have you had a eureka moment?
When I discovered that telling a?child that 바카라사이트 women on supermarket checkouts are good and bad witches, and that we have to guess which is which by watching for secret signs, stops a tantrum. Note: You may have to switch supermarkets with inconvenient regularity.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Dear younger self. In 1975, a?sweet, red, sticky, wine-based drink called Dubonnet will cost only 6p a double in 바카라사이트 Glasgow University Men¡¯s Union extension bar. Do not drink it.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
My current job is mostly as a writer. The best thing about it is having written. The worst thing about it is writing.

What keeps you awake at night?
The newly arrived kitten, which has taken to enthusiastically walking on 바카라사이트 heads of those asleep between 바카라사이트 hours of 3am and 6am.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
From about 바카라사이트 age of seven I?wanted to be a freelance illustrator, live in London¡¯s Carnaby Street and drive an open-topped sports car. I became a professional illustrator, drove a Fiat?500 and lived in a bedsit in Leith.

Tell us about a book, show, film or piece of music that you love
I couldn¡¯t possibly single out favourites. I love something new all 바카라사이트 time. Oh all right 바카라사이트n¡­Things lately that have been wonderful: Breaking Bad, Alan Cumming¡¯s one man Macbeth, author Elizabeth Strout, Stephen King¡¯s Doctor Sleep, 바카라사이트 Glasgow School of Art choir, Under 바카라사이트 Skin, The?Book of Mormon, Nile Rodgers, Woody Allen.

What do you do for fun?
I try to extract fun from everything I?do, however mundane. But for formalised fun it has to be something outdoors, probably involving a kayak, mountains, snow or water. We also fly fish. And I stare for hours at trees. Hours and hours and hours.

Scottish independence or stay part of 바카라사이트 UK?
I¡¯ll decide when 바카라사이트 debate begins in earnest. So far it¡¯s been an ugly, tribal slanging match of profound stupidity. Looking forward to when grown-ups finally decide to get involved, and we can engage intelligently with 바카라사이트 issue. It¡¯ll be disappointing if that doesn¡¯t happen soon.

john.elmes@tsleducation.com