Court appoints legal guardians to help troubled Scots artist Peter Howson

A COURT has named legal guardians who will take control of the chaotic business affairs of Peter Howson, long one of the most talented – and troubled – figures in the Scottish art scene, it was announced yesterday.

• Peter Howson was advised by doctors to seek help. Picture: Robert Perry

The painter, who suffers from Asperger syndrome, a form of autism, had himself applied for outside help on the advice of doctors after he was admitted to hospital last year.

Howson has talked publicly about his struggles with everything from past drug addiction to deep depression, and, most recently, wild spending sprees.

Lawyers acting for Mr Howson announced they had won an interim ruling after a private hearing at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.

Mr Howson was said to have welcomed the move.

Peter Howson's compelling talent for painting and drawing powerful and eye-catching works, famous collectors of his work, such as Madonna, and his turbulent personal life have made him a media celebrity. His art has sold for prices of up to 300,000.

But his generosity and mental vulnerability, and the failure to route sales through established art galleries, have seen uncontrolled sales that may have cost him a fortune. Last year, it was reported that the 51-year-old painter's sales were being handled by a convicted heroin dealer, and in the past he has spoken of his fears of selling to gangsters.

A statement from his Glasgow solicitors, Turnbull and Ward, said people with Asperger's could have "unusual and sometimes outstanding ability", but also suffered difficulty in social interaction and understanding.

"Such impairment restricts an individual's capacity to act and make decisions competently in areas such as business decisions, particularly those of any complexity requiring the capacity to understand other people's communications and intentions."

John McDermott, director of scotlandart.com, which sells or leases original paintings through the internet and its galleries in Edinburgh and Glasgow, is the interim legal guardian who will oversee the business side.

However, to avoid conflict of interest, he will not sell Mr Howson's works through the scotlandart.com galleries.

Michael McCreadie, a specialist and lecturer in autism, has been appointed as guardian for Mr Howson's "personal welfare", with the goal of "freeing him of the stress and distress of trying to grapple with business".

Matthew Flowers, of the Flowers East Gallery in London, which has sold his work since 1987, welcomed the move. He said: "Peter Howson should be a very wealthy man, but he is not."