The work shown below was purchased by John McCracken direct from his friend John Houston and initially hung is his office at IBM, Edinburgh.
This blog tells the story of how 3 paintings came to end up in Georgia , U.S.A. having been originally purchased in Scotland by John McCracken CBE who was a friend of the artists Elizabeth Blackadder and particularly her husband John Houston.
John McCracken was intimately involved in promoting Scottish arts, as a trustee of the National Museums of Scotland, 1985-1991; Society of Scottish Artists, 1984-1991; member of the Council of the Edinburgh Festival, 1985-1991; and supporter of the Scottish National Orchestra. So he was well placed to select the very best art available during these times. He was a friend of John Houston from an early age, as children they lived in neighbouring towns in Fife and were both keen sportsmen they were born a few months apart, both attended clubs together and went to Edinburgh University at the same time . John Houston grew up in Windygates Fife, where his father's family kept the hotel and village shop. His father himself was, as Houston put it, in more general business - sometime haulier, contractor, dealer of all kinds and of horses in particular. Until he grew too big, Houston would ride for his father at Musselburgh races and other local meetings.
Both men shared a love of golf. John McCracken, an all-round athlete, was a member of Muirfield, Prestwick, and Bruntsfield Links, and the MCC. Later in life he took up skiing and became an accomplished horse rider, so the men had a lot in common.
John McCracken started his 33-year-career with IBM in 1956 in Scotland, opening its first office in Edinburgh in 1958 and selling the first-ever computer system to both the Royal Bank and the Bank of Scotland. He held numerous successful positions during his career with IBM, beginning as a salesman and moving quickly through the sales management levels and positions to become a regional manager. John was named IBM’s Director of Scotland and Northern England in 1980 and held that position until 1985. He went on to become the Communications Director for IBM United Kingdom, Ltd in 1985, a position he held until his retirement in 1989. John was awarded a CBE in 1985 in recognition of Services to the Scottish Business Community, not only to IBM, but also for his non-executive directorships at Scott Lithgow, CR Smith, ScotBic, British Rail (Scotland) and Ewbank Preece, Ltd. He was also an active board member of the Scottish Development Agency, and other agencies, all to promote Scotland’s business environment.
He moved to the USA in 1990 and John spent his last 28 years living in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, breeding and raising Irish Sport Horses on a farm he carved out and loved dearly. His art collection was dear to his heart and he was not put off by the logistical challenge so decided to take it with him to the U.S. where it has remained until 3 of the collection were purchased by us for our personal collection .
The earliest of the pieces dates from 1967 and was sold by the Scottish Gallery in their Festival Exhibition. The work is mixed media gouache over watercolour fixed with PVA. Titled Lilies and the Garden the painting is from a period when both Houston and Elizabeth Blackadder lived in a flat above Anne Redpath and were clearly influenced by her work and subject matter.
This painting still retains the gallery label together with the purchase tag verso .
The next painting is another by John Houston - shown at the top of this blog- and it as travelled some miles in its time. It is a canvas that was originally painted in the USA when both John Houston and Elizabeth Blackadder where invited to Wisconsin by the Johnson family. On the stretcher to the rear is the original title and date showing it to be of Lake Michigan from 1970. Clearly the painting failed to sell or was no longer required because it was overpainted by the current piece in the mid 1970’s . The work is titled ‘Cornfields, Evening Kilconquhar Fife’ and very typical of a series of large landscapes the artist produced at that time. So the canvas was taken by the owner to the USA when he retired and we transported it back again to the UK in early 2023, so it has now been across the Atlantic at least 3 times during its life !
Elizabeth Blackadder
The final work is by Elizabeth Blackadder and dates from 1988, it was purchased direct from the artist and is again a typical piece from that period of her output . In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s Blackadder painted a series of works depicting Orchids, many were on this large scale 102 x 70 cm and she followed on with a series of prints also depicting various species of Orchids. This is a highly sought after piece and below is an image showing a little detail.
