MacKINNON, Finlay

c.1870 - 1931

Finlay MacKinnon was born at Poolewe, Rosshire, Scotland around 1870. Finlay was educated at the Poolewe Public School, and lived with his mother at Mossbank, Poolewe. As a young boy he worked as a crofter in the Highlands, but even as young as seven he knew that he wanted to be an artist and his childish efforts with his pencil and some very humble attempts in water-colour, achieved by the aid of a shilling box of paints, started him in a course of instruction. He progressed rapidly and about 1881 he came to the notice of Henry William Banks Davis (1833-1914), R.A., who assisted his progress and in 1883 took him to London where he gave him a session's teaching at South Kensington School of Art. Other gentlemen, including Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, Bart, of Gairloch, the Marquis of Bristol, Osgood Hanbury Mackenzie, a landowner of Inverewe, Augustus Walford Weedon (1838-1908), the artist, and others gave Finlay material aid, and he was enabled to spend the winter session of 1884-1885 at South Kensington. He also studied art in both in Paris and Italy. Finlay married at St Colombus', Pont Street, London on 30 March 1898, Isabel Agnes Mackenzie Matheson (born 21 July 1873), daughter of Dr Farquhar Matheson and wife Agnes née Lee. The call to mobilise went out in August 1914 and Finlay joined 4th Battalion, the Seaforth Highlanders and was shipped out to France in November 1914 and, rising to the rank of Captain, remained in France and Belgium for five years' service until the battalion was demobilised in October 1919. Mackinnon illustrated a book by Lt Col Haldane, 'History of the Fourth Battalion the Seaforth Highlanders'. He exhibited at the Royal Academy; the Fine Art Society; Agnew & Sons Gallery; Bruton Gallery; Dudley Gallery; Walker's Gallery; New Gallery; Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours; Royal Scottish Academy, he also exhibited a watercolour at Ipswich Art Club in 1923 'Mountain and Moorland'. Finlay MacKinnon died in 1931, aged 61.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from Poolewe, Ross-shire
1906 934 Peat Bog - watercolour
         974 Autumn in the Highlands - watercolour
1909 803 Mountain and Moorland - watercolour
1910 277 Heather and Hills, Ross-shire
1911 210 Spate on the Ewe
1912 13 Scut-na-Gillian, Sligachan
         824 Ben Eighe, Kenlochewe - watercolour
1913 1107 Evening: Poolewe
1914 579 Sunset over Loch Ewe
         1415 Sunshine and Rain over the Bog - watercolour
1916 954 Ben Eighe, Kinlochave
         1508 Peat Bog: Winter - watercolour
1923 311 The Day's Farewell
         823 A December Morning in the Highlands - watercolour
1924 723 Strath Carron - watercolour
1929 772 Moorland - watercolour

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Works by This Artist