Dennis Buchan was born in Arbroath in 1937 and attended Arbroath High School before studying at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee, under Alberto Morrocco. Following art school, Dennis spent a postgraduate period at Hospitalfield, Arbroath. Dennis travelled throughout his career, making new research in such places as New York, Barcelona, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In 1965, he took up a teaching position at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, where he remained until retiring to paint full-time in 1994.
On the 12th February 1975, nominated by John Houston RSA and Elizabeth Blackadder RA RSA, Dennis was elected as an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy, becoming a full Academician in 1991. Dennis was Convenor of the RSA Annual Exhibition in 2004, also providing the work for the poster and catalogue. Dennis was invited to produce the well-received Christmas Card for the Academy in 1995. He exhibited regularly at the Academy including annually as part of the RSA Members shows. Notably he was also invited to exhibit new paintings in the curated SEA exhibition at the RSA in 2005.
Dennis was the recipient of many awards through out his career including the Keith Prize (RSA), Latimer Award (RSA), the William Gillies Bequest Award (RSA) and several other major awards including a major Scottish Arts Council Award in 1973. His work is held in private and public collections both nationally and internationally. His most recent solo exhibition was with Compass Gallery, Glasgow, in September 2022.
Dennis’ work fused the Scottish colourist tradition with more modern, abstract expressionism and pop art. His works took inspiration from landscapes and seascapes, using everyday objects to create bold juxtapositions of form and colour.