As part of my PhD research, I began to record the members of The Glasgow Society of Lady Artists, attempting to find photographs, or images of the women to be included next to their short bios. Many you may recognise as being labelled as ‘The Glasgow Girls’ including Jessie M. King and Ann Macbeth.
Here is a small number of GSLA members below. Image sources have been credited where possible.
Grace Wilson Melvin (1896-1977)
Artist Member
Melvin was a GSA graduate who had a ‘rich background of Arts and Crafts’. Aged 35 Melvin packed up and moved to Vancouver where she helped to establish the Vancouver School of Art. She specialised in illumination, textiles, pottery and design.
Jessie M King (1875-1949)
Artist Member & Affiliate Member
She studied at GSA and excelled in fine line drawings. However, over her life time she produced an array of works from war memorials, murals, clothes, doll houses and interiors.
Janie Allen (1868-1968)
Artist Member & Lay Member
Scottish Suffragette and political campaigner.
Ann Macbeth (1875-1948)
Artist Member & Affiliate Member
Artist, activist & teacher Ann Macbeth studied and taught GSA. She helped to elevate needlework as an artwork. Macbeth was extremely active in the Suffrage movement and was arrested several times for the cause.
Image: Copyright Glasgow School of Art Archives & Collections
Mary Nicol Neill Armour (1902-2000)
Artist Member
Armour was an artist, painter & teacher. She is best known for her still life and landscape oil paintings. Armour studied at GSA from 1920 before training to become an art teacher.
Image: Copyright Kirkcudbright Galleries
Ailsa Tanner (1923-2001)
Artist Member
Tanner was an artist, art historian and writer. She was extremely active in recording women’s histories and published a comprehensive work on ‘Glasgow Girl’ Bessie MacNicol (1869-1904). Too often, the women who record histories are forgotten. For more information check out Helensburgh Heritage.
Lady Alice Shaw Stewart (1864-1942)
Artist Member
Anti-suffrage campaigner, Justice of the Peace for Renfrewshire and Women’s Rural Institute’s supporter.
Image: Copyright Historic England
Sadie McLellan (1914-1997)
Artist Member
Stained glass artist McLellan studied at GSA graduating with a distinction. Her output was prolific including works for the 1938 International Exhibition in Glasgow, Glasgow Cathedral and Robin Chapel.
Image: Crawfordjohn Heritage Centre
Nan Muirhead Moffat
Artist Member
Nan Muirhead Moffat was an illustrator who studied at the Glasgow School of Art. She beautifully captured 12 artist members in a short publication in 1930 called ‘Round the Studios’. Each artist is drawn in her bold black and white style situated in their studio space.
Norah Neilson Gray (1882-1931)
Artist Member
Born in Helensburgh, she studied drawing at ‘The Studio’ at Craigendoran before going to study at GSA.A prolific portrait painter Neilson Gray exhibited with the GSLA, RA, RGI and at the Salon of the Société des Artistes François. She was the first woman appointed to the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Hanging Committee.
Karen Mailley 