Charles Hodge Mackie

Charles Hodge Mackie (1862–1920) was a Scottish artist. He was a co-founder, and the first president, of the Society of Scottish Artists in 1900.

Life Mackie was born in Aldershot, England, the son of an army captain from Duddingston, Edinburgh. His family moved back to Edinburgh in 1866 when he was 4 years old. He briefly attended the University of Edinburgh as a medical student. He then studied art at the Royal Scottish Academy School where William McTaggart was one of his tutors. At the beginning of his career, Mackie worked in Kirkcudbright, Scotland. His first exhibition of a Kirkcudbright picture was of Kirkcudbright Town in 1884 at the Royal Society of Arts.

In 1890 he was living and operating a studio from 15 Queen Street, one of the best addresses in the New Town of Edinburgh. By 1895 he had moved to smaller premises at 2 William Street in the West End. Soon after this he moved to Coltbridge Studio, a more rural location on the edge of the Water of Leith in the Roseburn district of west Edinburgh.

In 1895 and 1896 he contributed black and white woodblock prints to illustrate the four issues of The Evergreen: A Northern Seasonal published by Patrick Geddes and Colleagues and designed the embossed leather covers for each of the volumes.

He died in Edinburgh on 12 July 1920 and was buried in Warriston Cemetery in the north of the city.

French influence In 1892, Mackie and his wife honeymooned in France, where he befriended Paul Sérusier. Sérusier later introduced him to Paul Gauguin and other artists within the Pont-Aven School, making Mackie one of the first British artists to meet Gauguin. These connections resulted in a strong French influence in Mackie's works, and it was Gauguin who convinced Mackie to use Japanese oak blocks for printing, rather than cut linoleum.

Associates Mackie became close with many Pont-Aven School artists during his trips to France. He also had a close friendship with artist Laura Knight, whom he had met at an artists' colony in Staithes in North Yorkshire around 1900.

Exhibitions Exhibitions of Mackie's work during his lifetime.