Shelagh Atkinson is a multi-disciplinary artist working across print, painting, drawing, photography, sound and mail art.  

Since the 1990s she has exhibited in a variety of national and international contexts including the International Print Biennial (Kanagawa, Japan), the second Yunnan International Print Exhibition (Kunming City, China), Lessedra World Art Print Annual (Sofia, Bulgaria), the Scottish National Portrait Gallery (Edinburgh, Scotland), Print Studios  in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, Visual Arts Scotland, the Society of Scottish Artists and Aberdeen Artists Society.  

Urban and natural environments, politics and language all provide context for the subjects of grief, memory and transformation which are ever present in Atkinson’s work. She is also known for her distinctive portraiture, which reflects the likeness and identities of key but often marginalised figures in Scottish history, such as miner, trade union leader and communist, Mick McGahey (1925 -1999), represented in a photo etching acquired by National Galleries Scotland in 2003.  

As a woman artist in the LGBTQ+ community who did not take a conventional route into art, Atkinson’s engagement with key Scottish institutions, including Edinburgh Printmakers, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and Wasps studios over three decades, have provided pivotal support towards the development of her practice.

In 2019, Atkinson was one of 11 artists to receive an award funded by Creative Scotland to support the development of her archive. In 2023 Art360 released a documentary film by award-winning filmmaker, David Bickerstaff, exploring the artists' legacy. 

Atkinson currently lives in South Lanarkshire and works in Edinburgh, UK.