Armour, Mary Nicol Neill (1902–2000)

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Armour, Mary Nicol Neill (1902–2000)

Scottish painter. Name variations: Mary Nicol Neill Steel; Mary Steel; Dr. N.N. Mary Armour. Born Mary Nicol Neill Steel in 1902 in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland; died 2000 in Kilbarchan, Scotland; studied under David Forrester Wilson and Maurice Greiffenhagen at Glasgow School of Art (1920–25); m. William Armour (artist), 1927.

One of Scotland's most important modern painters, won scholarship to Hamilton Academy at 11, where she studied with Penelope Beaton; executed mural commission for Royal Navy and elected Associate of Royal Scottish Academy (RSA, both 1941); focused primarily on landscape and flower studies; taught at Glasgow School of Art (1951–62), period during which paintings became more free in handling and brighter in color; elected to Royal Scottish Water Colour Society (1956) and to Royal Scottish Academy (1958); showed paintings at Royal Scottish Academy and Glasgow Institute and Fine Art Society; precluded from continuing to paint due to failing eyesight (1988); lived out life in artistic community of Kilbarchan, Scotland.