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 In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

and attended Aberdeen High School before studying painting and pottery at Gray's School of Art 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 language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

. and in Rome in 1910. Davidson exhibited at the

Salon d'Automne The Salon d'Automne (; en, Autumn Salon), or Société du Salon d'automne, is an art exhibition held annually in Paris, France. Since 2011, it is held on the Champs-Élysées, between the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais, in mid-October. The ...

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 armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award ...

for her work. In 1923 Davidson moved to

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

and for a time was associated with the circle of artists known as the Group of Seven, 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 rights organization working across national boundaries for the common cause of advocating human rights for women. In March and April 1888, women leaders came together in Washington, D.C., with ...

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 and resumed painting. Davidson exhibited several times with the Aberdeen Artists Society 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 women artists 20th-century Scottish painters Alumni of Gray's School of Art Artists from Aberdeen British potters Recipients of the Military Medal Women potters People from Cults

Biography

Further reading

References