Art UK
Mary Newbery Sturrock, née Mary Arbuckle Newbery (21 September 1892 – 18 November 1985) was a Scottish artist who worked across various media. She is best known as an embroiderer and painter of flowers.[1]
Mary was born in Glasgow, the second daughter of the designer and embroiderer Jessie Newbery and Francis Henry Newbery, Director of the Glasgow School of Art.[2] She studied in the Life School of Drawing and Painting at the Glasgow School of Art, and became a member of the Edinburgh Group of artists.[3]
Mary’s early work was influenced by her close friend Charles Rennie Mackintosh, but it later developed into something more “naturalistic”.[1] Her paintings were exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy annual exhibition between 1915 and 1952, and from 1935 to 1952 she submitted at least one watercolour painting each year to the exhibition.[4]
Personal life
During the First World War Mary worked at a munitions factory in Tilbury, and as a tracer for the De Havilland aircraft manufacturer.[3] In 1918 she married the soldier and artist Alick Riddell Sturrock (1885–1953).[5]
After the death of her husband Mary travelled extensively across Europe, and to China, Japan and Mexico.[3]
