Joe Hargan was born in Glasgow, 1952. He studied drawing and painting at the Glasgow School of Art from 1970-74 under Danny Ferguson, James Robertson and David Donaldson.

Joe has exhibited his contemporary paintings regularly since the early 1970's at: the Royal Glasgow Institute of Art; Royal Society of Watercolors; Royal Scottish Academy of Art; The Paisley Art Institute; Royal Academy, London; Dick Institute, Kilmarnock; British Watercolor Society & National Portrait Gallery

He is a founder member of Group 81 Artists who regularly exhibited at McLellan Galleries, Glasgow. In 1981 Joe was elected a member of the Glasgow Art Club. Then in 1985 he became a member of the Paisley Art Institute and later that year elected a council member. In 1989 he was nominated and voted Chairman and President of the prestigious Art Institute. Hargan held the post for 11 years.

In 1996 for the quality of his paintings and his service to Scottish art Joe Hargan was awarded the Paisley Art Institute diploma. The Art Institute was founded in 1876 and has built up a substantial art collection of Scottish Art. It promotes contemporary art through its annual exhibition and also organises the notable Scottish Drawing Competition every two years.

The body of Joe Hargan paintings are remarkable for their diversity. But his paintings are immediately recognisable and follow the rich tradition of vibrant, bold colourist Scottish paintings. Contemporary paintings of the renowned character 'Sniffy' have featured in many of Hargan's paintings and are now collected by art lovers worldwide. Over the years Joe has been awarded a number of art prizes reflecting and rewarding the quality and breadth of his talent.

Hargan draws inspiration from many sources: Italian renaissance art, Spanish art, American influences such as Rothko and Newman; and of course British artists Francis Bacon, Philipson and David Donaldson

Painting Prizes and Art Awards:

Contemporary Painting Prize, Glasgow School of Art, 1972 First Prize, National Competition - Stirling Smith Art Gallery, 1978 Cargill Art Award, Royal Glasgow Institute, 1982 Torrance Award, Royal Glasgow Institute, 1984 Meyer Oppenheim Award, Royal Scottish Academy of Art, 1986 Hunting Art Group Prizewinner, Mall Galleries, 1988 The Paisley Art Institute Award, 1993 The Contemporary Fine art award, The Paisley Art Institute, 2001 Maude Gemmell Hutchison Prize, Royal Scottish Academy of Art 2002 William Bowie Award, Paisley Art Institute 2002. Joe Hargan paintings feature in numerous private and corporate art collections throughout Europe, USA, Canada, Brazil, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. These include: BBC, Kuwait Royal Family, Flemings Bank and Bloomberg collection

In addition to Red Rag Scottish Art Gallery Joe Hargan art work has been exhibited at other leading Scottish Art Galleries. Each painting at Red Rag is sourced from the Joe Hargan artist studio and like all Red Rag British art and Contemporary art it can be shipped worldwide.