Painter, sculptor and photographer, born in Glasgow. He studied at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee, 1979–83, at first concentrating on painting, then sculpture, then photography. His photographic studies were continued at Royal College of Art, 1983–5. Colvin began constructing installations made from found junk objects; onto these he would paint the outlines of figures which would be coloured in sophisticated and complex ways; photographs were then taken and the installation destroyed. The Constructed Narratives focused on hero-worship, fantasies and desires. The Photographer’s Gallery held a show in 1986, and Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art holds Colvin’s work, which was featured in the Scottish Art since 1900 show, 1989–1990, at the Gallery and touring.
Text source: 'Artists in Britain Since 1945' by David Buckman (Art Dictionaries Ltd, part of Sansom & Company)