Elected ARSA: 15 March 1922
Elected RSA: 10 February 1932
David Forrester Wilson RSA was born in Glasgow in 1873. He attended evening classes at Gorbals Public School whilst working as a traveller in tea and 1899 gave up his business career to study at the Glasgow School of Art under Professor Delville. He won the Haldane Scholarship in 1901 and in 1905 travelled to mainland Europe where he continued his study of painting in Italy, Belgium and Paris before returning to the UK to study in London.
Wilson returned to Glasgow and re-joined the Glasgow School of Art, this time as a member of staff, where he remained until he retired from teaching in 1938. He was appointed ARSA in 1922 and RSA in 1932. His works were mainly exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy and the Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts, but his works were also shown in Chicago, Pittsburgh and Buffalo City.
His painting style is characterised by refined drawing and colour and a strong sense of decoration. Some of his most notable works now reside in various collections throughout the UK including Faggots, an oil painting, now owned by Glasgow Corporation, and An Islay Woman and The Young Shepherd, both now owned by the Royal Scottish Academy.
