2016
Joint exhibition with Alasdair Gray
Sutton Gallery, Edinburgh
2015
Solo exhibition, Sutton Gallery, Edinburgh
2014
Prizewinning Exhibition, Scottish Arts Club
2013
Society of Scottish Artists, RSA - Scottish Arts Club Prze
With Alasdair Gray and Steven Camley, The Smithy Gallery, Blanefield
2012
Alasdair Gray /Joyce Gunn Cairns at The Smithy Gallery, Blanefield. See reviews.
2011
"Heroines". New Hall College, Cambridge March-April
2010
Skin Deep, Royal College of Surgeons
2009
Brussels/ Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Exhibition of Scottish Poets in Scotland House, Brussels.
The Henderson Gallery, Edinburgh. Exhibition of 38 heads of eminent Scots. Launched by Sally Magnusson. “Unspoken Lines”. Reviewed by Tim Cornwell in The Scotsman (Quick on the Draw, 9 July 2009)
City Art Centre, Edinburgh. Visual Arts Scotland. (My painting singled out by Duncan MacMillan in The Scotsman).
Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop , Exhibition of prints. “Bodily Traces” (“Joyce Gunn Cairns ….. has taken to screenprinting like a natural….” Duncan MacMillan, The Scotsman)
2008
Munich/Landratsamt. Collaboration between WASPS and Munich artists. Reviewed in Muenchner Zeitung. „ Gunn Cairns Zeichnungen beruehren den Betrachter unmittelbar. Jeder ihrer Striche wirkt so lebendig und vital, als pulsiere er....“
Aberdeen Word Festival. Exhibition of heads of writers, including Edwin Morgan and A L Kennedy, in Word Café, Aberdeen University.
2007
Scottish National Portrait Gallery, The Naked Portrait. Mentioned in The Guardian by Germaine Greere.
2006
Jerwood Exhibition of Prizewinners, Drawing Breath. Toured in Wimbledon Art College, London, Sydney, Bristol and Aberdeen.
2005
Writers Museum, Edinburgh. A Writer’s Dozen. Five heads purchased by City of Edinburgh Council.
BankSide Gallery, London. Artists chosen from lovers of Radio 4.
2003/4
Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Modern Women (drawing of the poets Tessa Ransford and Joy Hendry)
Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Keeping Faith. Drawings of Richard Holloway and Cardinal Keith O’Brien.
Daughters of Eve, toured from Inverness Castle to Thurso, to Edinburgh, and finally to the International University in Paris. Curated by Highland Arts , supported by the SNPG. In Edinburgh accompanied by events chaired by Richard Holloway and Bridget McConnell.
Talbot Rice Gallery, Drawing David Daiches. Thirteen drawings of David Daiches. Curated by Duncan MacMillan, and accompanied by a catalogue; introduction to catalogue by Duncan MacMillan, Writer and Critic, edited by Michael Lister, Writer and Reviewer.
2001
Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Narcissus. Three paintings. Reviewed five times, including a two-page spread in The Herald by Ann Donald.
1996 to date
Annual inclusion in exhibitions in the Royal Scottish Academy (SSA, VAS, RSW and RSA)
Annual exhibitions in WASPS Gallery, Patriothall, Edinburgh. Solo and joint.