Coutts, Gordon

Person

Coutts, Gordon

1868-1937

Gordon Coutts was born in Old Machar, Aberdeen in 1868. He began his art studies at the Glasgow School of Art in 1881, where the Register notes his profession as ‘Apprentice Photographer’, and his address as 299 Caledonia Road, Glasgow. The following year he had moved to 108 Berkeley Terrace and received a 2nd grade certificate for freehand drawing. He then moved to the RA Schools in London, followed by the Académie Julian, Paris, under Lefebvre.

In the late 1880’s , Coutts followed his brother David to Australia where they ran a business creating art miniatures in Melbourne. While there, he studied at the National Gallery School, Melbourne from 1891 to 1893. He won first prizes for "Painting Head from Life" in 1892, and in 1893 received an Honourable Mention for his Travelling Scholarship entry, “Too late”.

In 1896 he moved to Sydney where he taught at the Art Society of New South Wales until 1899, when he returned to Europe. From 1890 to 1902 he was a regular exhibitor at the Victorian Artists' Society in Melbourne, and the Royal Art Society in Sydney.

Coutts met the English artist, Alice Grey whom he married. In 1902 they moved to San Francisco where he became a member and frequent exhibitor at the Bohemian Club. Always a traveller, from 1910 onwards he spent time in Paris, Spain and Tangier, where he had a studio for many years. He received a gold medal at the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition in 1909 and at the Paris Salon in 1913. Over the years he exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy, the Paris salons and many American International Exhibitions. In 1914, WW1 obliged the couple to return to the US, but Gordon decided to go back to Europe in 1916 – Alice decided not to accompany him and they divorced the following year.

In 1918 in California, Coutts met Gertrude Russell, a music teacher, who became his second wife. They spent several years living in Spain, then Morocco, though making annual trips to the UK where Coutts exhibited regularly at the RA and other galleries.

Suffering from tuberculosis, he moved to Palm Springs in 1924. He built a Moroccan style villa to recreate a favourite place in Tangier. Dar Marroc is still a well known local landmark and is now part of the Korakia boutique hotel. Winston Churchill and Sir John Lavery (A friend since his days in Glasgow) were among the many celebrities to visit Dar Marroc.

Gordon Coutts died in Palm Springs in 1937.

• GSA Registers
• www.gordoncoutts.com
• www.bridgetmcdonnellgallery.com.au