4th October – 30th November 2022
Florence Moira Morrison Thomas (nee Guy)
1928 – 2021
Courtyard Arts have kindly been gifted this collection of work by Guy, Gill and Andy Thomas, the children of Florence, to display at Courtyard in a retrospective exhibition of her work created throughout her life.
Florence was born in Kirkcudbright in Dumfries, Scotland in September 1928. She was the eldest daughter of the Rt Hon James Guy, MP for Edinburgh Central and his wife Deidre. Florence also had a brother Douglas, born in 1933, who had an early interest in Horticulture.
Florence had a talent for painting from an early age and produced her first small accurate ink painting at the age of ten years. She developed her skills in watercolour by sketching landscapes, demonstrating a fine eye for detail and atmospherics.
In 1946, she applied to Edinburgh Academy for a place on their Arts Programme, which was later deferred to give priority to returning servicemen, following the end of WW2. Florence never received any formal training in Art and instead went to work for the MD of Drambuie Whiskey instead.
Florence later married Hal Thomas, whom she met in Edinburgh. They had 3 children and lived the majority of their lives in Hertfordshire. Right through her life, Florence would always use an opportunity to paint a watercolour scene, whether on holiday or out and about, hence the rich collection of paintings.
