George Houston
Scottish, 1869 – 1947
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George Houston was a Scottish artist. He was a prolific landscape painter, using both oil and watercolour. He primarily depicted scenes of Argyll and Ayrshire.
Houston was born in Dalry, North Ayrshire. In the 1880s he stayed at North Bank Cottage in Portencross, where he formed a long-lasting friendship with the noted Scottish author Neil Munro (Para Handy). In 1912 Neil Munro wrote a book entitled "Ayrshire Idylls", and this was illustrated by George Houston. It is possible that Houston and his family moved to the nearby town of Saltcoats before moving back to Dalry. Thereafter he lived at West Lynn until his death on 5 October 1947.
An Ayrshire Landscape was purchased by Glasgow Corporation in 1904 and remains in the Glasgow Museums collection. Houston was a friend of the writer Neil Munro and illustrated Munro's book Ayrshire Idylls (A&C Black, 1912). Munro also provided commentary on Burns' Country, a series of 12 etchings made by Houston published in 1915. These etchings are now in the possession of the North Ayrshire Council Museums Service.
Houston married Anne Kerr Crawford in 1889 and the couple had ten children together.