Winifred McKenzie

The eldest of two renowned artist sisters, Winifred McKenzie was a generous giver of time, talent, hospitality, and herself in friendship.

The eldest daughter of George and Mary McKenzie, her friendship was valued by people from all walks of life and her artistic talents widely respected.

Resident in St Andrews, Fife, for more than half a century, like her younger sister, Alison, who died in 1982, Winifred was a gifted professional artist and many of her works are held in private and public collections worldwide. One oil painting, The Blue Table, on show at a summer exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1963, was bought by the Duke of Edinburgh.

Her late father had to give up his profession as an architect to help run a family business in India. However, he died when Winifred was seven and family finances deemed the family move from t

heir home in Bridge of Weir to a smaller residence in Kilmalcolm. Winifred's relationship with her sister, two years her junior, developed over the years to a close partnership and had its roots in the sudden death of their father.

It drew together her mother, Mary, and the two daughters into a strong, mutual protection society.

Winifred received her early education at the village school in Kilmalcolm. However, her late father had wished his daughters to receive a private education and Mrs McKenzie decided to send both sisters to Priorsfield Public School, near Godalming, Surrey, to finish their senior education.

Winifred enrolled at Glasgow School of Art in 1923 - as her sister did later - both following in the footsteps of their father. After graduating she took a teacher's training course at Jordanhill College.

She later joined the Grosvenor School of Modern Art in London for art graduates where she produced significant creative work.

In London during the 1930s, Winifred was elected a member of the National Society of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers. She was also a member of the Society of Wood Engravers in the capital.

Among her first public exhibitions was one with her sister in Bond Street, London, which was well received.

At the outbreak of the Second World War Winifred, who spoke French and took an interest in the Polish language, became a volunteer at the Beaver Club in London, assisting Canadian and French soldiers. The family eventually moved to St Andrews in 1940. During this period, along with her sister and Annabel Kidston, another local artist who was to become a great friend, Winifred set up art and engraving classes at St Andrews University for Polish servicemen.

After the war Winifred was appointed to Dundee College of Art as a lecturer in composition, life drawing, and wood engraving. There she was regarded as an innovator as wood engraving had never been taught before in Dundee.

Eventually, the sisters were to jobshare at the college to allow them to nurse their mother, who passed away in 1966.

Winifred relinquished her teaching post at the college in 1957. During the 1950s she was a member of a close-knit artist community in St Andrews - labelled the St Andrews School - which met regularly to discuss their work.

A member of the Friends of

the Royal Scottish Academy, in 1984 she mounted a retrospective exhibition of her work at the gallery of the English-Speaking Union in Edinburgh.

Winifred continued to enjoy painting until the age of 90

when failing eyesight ended her long career.

In 1996 she and her sister were the subjects of a book written by Aylwin Clark, for many years

head of history at St Leonards School, St Andrews. Entitled The McKenzie Sisters, the biography charted the family's history for more than a century.