JIM Nicholson, the former art director of the National Trust for Scotland, who died on July 25 following a heart attack, played a key role in the growth and development of the trust. He was 71.
He founded the trust's studio, which for years produced most of the trust's information and exhibition panels and covers and designs for publications.
He played the accordion, at one time founded a Scottish country dance band, and was a popular figure on trust cruises, both as a musician and as a lecturer.
Jim Nicholson was born in Otley, Yorkshire, and attended Prince William Grammar School there. He followed his father in a banking career, but it was not to his liking and his talents as an artist launched him on a new career which was to give pleasure to thousands of people.
During the Second World War he served in the Royal Air Force and flew on the notorious Dresden raid as a radio operator and was commissioned as a pilot officer.
He returned to the bank post-war, but also attended evening classes at Leeds College of Art and then left the bank to join a Leeds advertising firm. He came to Edinburgh and worked for nine years with McCallum Advertising before joining the National Trust for Scotland in 1964 as its first artist designer. He retired in 1983 with the title of art director.
Jim Nicholson was also a skilled photographer and had a great love for classical music and literature. He combined all three in audio-visual presentations of the world of nature which raised hundreds of pounds for charities.
He was also a keen dancer and a member of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society and toured South Africa with a Scottish team.
His showings of his own paintings attracted large audiences and many Scottish houses have Nicholson paintings of the Highlands and Islands on their walls. He was an enthusiastic hill walker and was a member of the Edinburgh Glenmore Club.
The trust's studio was often under pressure as the number of trust properties and publications grew and Jim Nicholson handled it all with much good humour and skill. He was a ``trust person'' to the core and had a special love for the islands of St Kilda which he visited with a working party and which often figured in his paintings.
He would always make time for people and their requests. Other hobbies included designing amusing cards for trust anniversaries or staff changes.
He was a very special person and has his own niche in the official history of the trust and in the hearts of many people who had the good fortune to be his friends.
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