Alistair Hamilton was born in Cockenzie and has lived in Cockenzie or Port Seton most of his life, attending Cockenzie Primary School and Preston Lodge High School.After leaving school he studied Drawing, Painting and Printmaking at Edinburgh College of Art graduating in, followed by a post graduate course in secondary education at Moray House College. At school and Art College Alistair’s contemporaries were, Morris Lee, John Bellany and James Fairgrieve. He thereafter taught Art at Preston Lodge High School until 1999 when he retired to pursue his career in full time painting.
His work has been inspired by the scenery of Scotland especially of East Lothian and the surrounding areas. Most of Alistair’s childhood was spent playing on the rocks, beach and harbours of Cockenzie, Port Seton and Fisherrow and those memories have been of particular influence in his painting of local scenes, harbours, boats, the sea and many other seascapes and landscapes from all over Scotland.