Life in Paint - Mary Cameron

Mary Cameron (1865-1921) was an artist and woman ahead of her time. Born in Edinburgh, she began her career as a portraitist and genre painter in her native city, before venturing abroad to study in Paris. Foreign travel proved to be an enduring source of inspiration. In 1900 she visited Madrid for the first time, and was captivated by the Spanish culture, people and scenery. Establishing studios in Madrid and Seville, she executed large-scale compositions of traditional peasant life, dramatic bullfights and rural landscapes. Cameron exhibited widely, and her talents were recognised by contemporaries such as John Lavery and Alexander Roche. However, like many female artists of her generation, her name is now little-known. Mary Cameron: Life in Paint places this forgotten artist back in the spotlight. It explores the fascinating story of Cameron’s life and career, charting her creative journey from elegant family portraits to breathtaking Spanish scenes. The book is fully illustrated, and draws from rare archival material in private collections. It accompanies a major exhibition to be held at the City Art Centre in Edinburgh during 2019-2020.