Josephine Haswell Miller facts for kids

Josephine Haswell Miller (born October 1, 1890, died 1975) was a talented Scottish artist. She went to the Glasgow School of Art as a student and later became a teacher there. She also showed her paintings at the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA).

About Josephine Haswell Miller

Early Life and Education

Josephine Haswell Miller was born Elizabeth Josephine Cameron in 1890 in Glasgow, Scotland. Her parents were Alan and Helen Cameron. She went to Woodside School before starting her art studies.

From 1905 to 1914, Josephine studied at the famous Glasgow School of Art. There, she learned about painting and design. Her teachers included well-known artists like Maurice Greiffenhagen and Robert Anning Bell. While she was a student, Josephine painted a large wall painting, called a mural, named Science for the Possilpark Library.

In her last year at the Glasgow School of Art, Josephine won a special award called the Haldane travelling scholarship. This scholarship allowed her to travel and study art in Paris, France, and later in London, England, with the artist Walter Sickert.

Career and Family Life

Josephine began showing her art with the Glasgow Society of Lady Artists in 1914. This group was for women artists. In 1922, she won the society's Lauder Prize and later became an honorary member.

In 1916, Josephine married Archibald Eliot Haswell Miller. He was also an artist and taught at the Glasgow School of Art. They had a daughter named Sylvia. After their wedding, Josephine joined her husband on the teaching staff at the Glasgow School of Art in 1919. She also worked for Daly's department store in Glasgow, drawing fashion designs and advertisements.

Glasgow School of Art, where Josephine Miller studied and later taught.

In 1923, Josephine and her husband had a joint art show together. From 1924 to 1932, she taught etching and printmaking at the Glasgow School of Art. Etching is a way of making prints using acid to create designs on metal.

In 1924, Josephine was chosen to join the Society of Scottish Artists. A big achievement came in 1938 when she became the first woman to be elected as an Associate member of the Royal Scottish Academy.

Around 1930, her husband Archibald Miller became the Keeper of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. This meant their family moved to Edinburgh. In 1941, Josephine became a governor of Edinburgh College of Art. She also painted murals in a canteen at the Rosyth Naval Base in 1941, working with other artists like Mary Armour and Anne Redpath.

Later Years

In 1952, after her husband retired, the family moved to Dorset, England. Three years after she left Scotland, her pension from the RSA was stopped. She was also not allowed to become a full Academician. However, Josephine continued to show her art at the RSA until she passed away in 1975.

Josephine's Art Style

Josephine Haswell Miller used both oil paints and watercolours in her art. She often painted still lifes of flowers, which are pictures of objects that don't move. She also painted scenes from her travels around Europe. These travels also gave her ideas for her etchings.

Josephine was known to be very critical of her own work. She often destroyed many of her paintings that she didn't think were good enough.

One of her most famous paintings is called Memories of the Sea. It was shown at the Royal Academy in 1937. This painting was inspired by her home at Hailes Cottage near Edinburgh. The painting uses cool colors and shows ideas related to the sea.