Jack Vettriano spent his early years in the Scottish blue collar town of Methil, Fife. At an early age, he left his home town to pursue a career as an engineer in the mining industry. The young engineer first attempted his hand at painting after his girlfriend presented him a gift of watercolors for his birthday. Vettriano’s early works as a hobbyist began to develop into an impressive artistic skill. As an early professional, he began to paint copies of many popular impressionist artists, including Claude Monet’s Poppy Fields. His earliest works were created under the name Jack Hoggan, and following extensive study at nearby Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery, Jack submitted his first works at the Shell-sponsored art exhibition in 1984.

Following Mr. Vettriano’s first exhibit, the artist’s confidence as a professional continued to build until 1988, when he was invited to display his work at the Royal Scottish Academy. He chose to submit two of his canvases at the annual event, and both works sold immediately. Jack Vettriano’s early success was followed by offers from several prominent galleries to sell his other works. The newfound success and fame led to the failure of his first marriage and he left to resettle in Edinburgh. During this period, Jack changed his last name to Vettriano, a variation on his mother’s maiden name. The artist’s star continued to rise with his romantic works displayed at international exhibits including London, New York and Hong Kong. Critical success was soon followed by financial success, and although his original paintings sold for six figures, Jack Vettriano prints and reproductions are known to have fetched greater sums. Each year a set of limited editions is published, including his most famous print, ‘The Singing Butler’. Although originally rejected by the established art community, The Singing Butler was later sold at auction for nearly two million dollars. Jack Vettriano’s yearly publishing also includes Elegy for a Dead Admiral, Dance Me to the End of Love, Mad Dogs, Contemplation of Betrayal, and Suddenly One Summer. Late in 1999, twenty of Jack Vettriano’s art painting were exhibited for the first time at The International 20th Century Arts Fair in New York. At this time, several paintings were commissioned by the owner of a famous restaurant, the Bluebird Club. In August 2007 these works were sold at auction for two and a half million dollars, with ‘Bluebird at Bonneville’ as the center of the collection. The combined works were featured in a BBC program that aired in spring 2008.

Most recently, artist Vettriano has devoted his efforts and several of his painting to charitable pursuits. A portrait of royal family member and horse rider Zara Phillips was commissioned for the fund raiser Sport Relief 2008. The event also featured the works of Stella Vine, Sir Peter Blake and Gerald Scarfe. ‘Study for Bluebird at Bonneville’ was donated to the London Art Fair to raise funding for the Higgins Trust. Vettriano established a need based scholarship at St. Andrew’s University which is awarded every four years. This contribution is in addition to funding he provided to restore the Student’s Association’s  Old Union Coffee Bar. Later, the university awarded Jack Vettriano Doctor of Letters.

Jack has been criticized for his lack of formal training and romanticized subject matter. After the original ‘The Singing Butler’sold at auction, it was discovered Vettriano had followed the ‘Illustrator’s Figure Reference Manual’ to assist him in his creation. Making no apology, the artist explained he used such resources early in his career because he is self taught and didn’t have the financial resources to hire a model. In winter 2009, Jack Vettriano established his own publishing company, Heartbreak Publishing. His new company is focused on promoting unknown artists and distributing his own works internationally.