Born in Glasgow in the 1940s, Alexandra Gardner emerged from a working-class background that has remained central to her identity and artistic outlook. She demonstrated an early aptitude for drawing and was accepted into the Glasgow School of Art in 1963, where she studied under David Donaldson, later appointed Painter and Limner to the Queen in Scotland. Gardner graduated in 1967 and soon after joined the teaching staff, remaining at the School for over twenty years and playing a sustained role in shaping a generation of painters.

Her work is grounded in close observation and spans still life, the nude, Venetian views and scenes drawn from working and domestic environments. Recurring subjects include studio interiors and quiet architectural spaces, often structured with a strong sense of design. Influences from artists such as Uccello and Vermeer can be identified in her approach to composition and light, though her handling remains distinctly personal.

Travel has been an important element in her practice, particularly visits to Venice, which informed a series of works exploring its architecture and reflective surfaces. Alongside this, her continued engagement with Glasgow and its surroundings has provided a consistent source of subject matter.

Gardner’s paintings have been exhibited widely in Scotland and beyond, and are held in public and private collections including Glasgow Museums and the Royal Bank of Scotland. She is recognised as a significant figure within post-war Scottish painting, particularly among women artists who established independent and sustained practices during the latter half of the twentieth century. Her work has also featured in Royal Scottish Academy exhibitions, further consolidating her position within the Scottish art establishment.