Margaret Elizabeth Jemima Davidson, known as Majel Davidson, (1885-1969) was a Scottish artist known for her painting and pottery work.

Biography

Davidson was born at

Cults Cults are social groups which have unusual, and often extreme, religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals. Extreme devotion to a particular person, object, or goal is another characteristic often ascribed to cults. The term ha ...

Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...

and attended Aberdeen High School before studying painting and pottery at

Gray's School of Art ''Gray's Anatomy'' is a reference book of human anatomy written by Henry Gray, illustrated by Henry Vandyke Carter and first published in London in 1858. It has had multiple revised editions, and the current edition, the 42nd (October 202 ...

from 1904 to 1907. A scholarship award allowed her to study in Paris throughout 1908 and 1909 with the artist

Charles Guérin Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...

. and in Rome in 1910. Davidson exhibited at the Salon d'Automne in 1912. During World War One she served as a volunteer ambulance driver, earning the

Military Medal The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the British Armed Forces, armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, below commissioned o ...

for her work. In 1923 Davidson moved to

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

and for a time was associated with the circle of artists known as the

Group of Seven The Group of Seven (G7) is an Intergovernmentalism, intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non- ...

, which led to her paintings becoming increasing impressionist and bolder in their use of colour. When Davidson returned to Scotland she took a role with the

International Council of Women The International Council of Women (ICW) is a women's organization working across national boundaries for the common cause of advocating women's rights, human rights for women. In March and April 1888, women leaders came together in Washington D.C ...

and in her artistic career chose to concentrate on producing pottery and had a kiln built at the family home in Cults. Named ''Gushetneuk Pottery'', after the Doric dialect word for an odd corner of a field, several pieces are on display at the Aberdeen Art Gallery, including a fine art deco rosebowl. In the 1950s Davidson moved to the female community, known as the Powis Family, or The Powis House Ladies, at Powis House near

Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...

and resumed painting. Davidson exhibited several times with the

Aberdeen Artists Society The Aberdeen Artists Society was founded in 1827 and aims to raise awareness of contemporary visual arts in Aberdeen and the North of Scotland. History The Aberdeen Artists' Society was founded in 1827 by local artists associated with Scottish p ...

and in 1989 the Portland Gallery held a joint show of her work alongside that of Alexander Graham Munro. In 2004, the Macrobert Art Centre held an exhibition of her work.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davidson, Majel 1885 births 1969 deaths 20th-century Scottish painters 20th-century Scottish women painters Alumni of Gray's School of Art Artists from Aberdeen Scottish potters Recipients of the Military Medal Women potters People from Cults

Biography

Further reading

References