Born in Falkirk, Scotland, and educated at Edinburgh University and Edinburgh College of Art from 1949 to 1954, she was awarded a Carnegie Travelling Scholarship in 1954. During her travels to Yugoslavia, Greece, and Italy, she drew inspiration from Byzantine architecture and mosaics. Renowned for her depictions of flowers, cats, and small objects meticulously arranged perpendicular to the paper or canvas, she gained recognition as a painter and printmaker.
In 1960, Blackadder was elected to the Royal Scottish Watercolour Society (RSW). She became an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) in 1963 and later an Associate of the Royal Academy (RA) in 1971. In 1972, she achieved full RSA membership and went on to be elected as a Royal Academician in 1976, making her the first woman to receive such dual honours.
Read more...
Her artwork has been exhibited at esteemed galleries like the Mercury Gallery in London and the Marjorie Parr Gallery, both locally and internationally. As a member of the Scottish Arts Club, her works can be found in various public collections across the United Kingdom. These include Aberdeen University, Bolton Art Gallery, Brighton and Hove Museums and Art Galleries, City Arts Centre in Edinburgh, Fleming Collection, Glasgow Print Studio, Gracefield Arts Centre, New Hall College in Cambridge, Otter Gallery, Reading Art Gallery, Royal West of England Academy (RWA), Scarborough Art Gallery, Sheffield Art Gallery, Stirling University Art Collection, Warwick University, and the Tate Gallery.
Blackadder was married to fellow artist John Houston. In recognition of her contributions, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1982. Subsequently, she held the prestigious title of Her Majesty's Painter and Limner in Scotland in 2000 and was bestowed with the honour of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2003.
Hide content again
