Kate Campbell Muirhead

Kate Campbell Muirhead (9 April 1893 – 20 July 1980) was a Scottish sculptor, born in Perth. She won the first Guthrie Award in 1920 with her work, the portrait bust Elizabeth. As Muirhead got older she moved into painting rather than sculpture.

Life

Kate Campbell Muirhead was born in Perth to parents George Muirhead (8 May 1861 - 28 December 1945) and Elizabeth Campbell Farquharson (17 February 1861 - 8 November 1948). They had married on 30 June 1892 in Perth. Her father was a painter and decorator for J. Muirhead and Sons. The 'J. Muirhead' was George's grandfather John Muirhead (born 1803).

Kate went to school, she was admitted to Sharp's Institution, Perth on 20 November 1899. There she was encouraged in Art by the Art Master Mr. Smeaton. After school she went to the Edinburgh College of Art.

In Edinburgh she stayed at Shandwick Place. On 24 April 1924 she married George Stalker Nicoll (12 October 1892 - 13 May 1953). He was a medical student at the university. They had two sons Alasdair and Angus.

Before the Second World War, the family moved to Exeter in Devon. George died in 1953, and Kate then moved back to Scotland, staying in Gatehouse of Fleet, first with her son at Low Barlay, then at East Neilson, then to her last home at Bogside.

She worked with James Pittendrigh Macgillivray in his Edinburgh studio from 1914 to 1924.

Muirhead exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy 6 times:- in 1914 (1 work), 1919 (2 works), 1920 (3 works) - when she won the first Guthrie Award - 1921 (1 work), 1923 (3 works) and 1924 (2 works). Muirhead's son Angus later became a farm manager at Low Barlay, Gatehouse before he got a Government post in Northern Rhodesia.

Her Guthrie Award win when she was around 27, the first win of the award, was a joint win with David Macbeth Sutherland. The award rules later solidified so that only under 35s could win the award. Sutherland with his early win is the only over 35 year old to win the award, as he was around 37 when he won the award.

On moving to England, her art career lulled; but when she returned to Scotland she began exhibiting again. As she got older she moved away from sculpture and into painting.

Works

There is a bronze bust of Elizabeth Murray Usher in the Murray Arms hotel in Gatehouse of Fleet.

The Stewartry Museum has a painting Still Life With Cactus.

A self-portrait painting is in the Gracefield Arts Collection in Dumfries.