Alexander Mason Trotter ARSA 1891-16/12/1946

A. Mason Trotter died at Ravenshall, Gatehouse of Fleet, on 16^th December, in his fifty-sixth year. 

A spinal accident in childhood, and consequently several years of restricted activity, led to an interest in drawing and a desire to devote himself to art as his profession.

He trained at the Edinburgh College of Art and soon found recognition and employment from various publishing firms. For some years he was on the staff of Messrs. Thos. Nelson & Sons, working under the direction of Walter Grieve, R.S.A.

Along with this commercial output, he did pictorial work, chiefly in water-colour, and on the strength of this he was elected to the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Water-Colours, and in 1942 an Associate of the Academy.

Mr.Trotter's typical work was remarkable for the dramatic quality with which he invested the apparently most commonplace objects -  a scullery sink, a bicycle leaning against some hanging garments in a cloakroom. Such motives and portraits were his most usual subjects.

Technically his work was very accomplished. Examples are to be found in several public galleries, including the Glasgow Corporation and the Scottish Modern Arts Association. During the late war he executed several wall decorations in the Naval Canteen at Rosyth, the humorous quality of which made them very acceptable. He also painted decorations in H.M.S. Renown and other ships of then Navy.

He leaves a widow and two grown sons by his first wife. 

RSA Obituary, transcribed from the 1946 RSA Annual Report