It was appropriate that in the centenary of his birth and thirty years since his death, the life and work of Jackson Simpson was celebrated in this small exhibition in Aberdeen Art Gallery in 1993.

Henry Jackson Simpson was born into a large Aberdonian family on 12th March 1893. He went to school at Ferryhill Primary and later at Robert Gordon's College. He was a very delicate child and during his summer holidays, when the whole Simpson family moved to NewtonhllI to their holiday home, would spend much of his time with his aunt and uncle at their summer home nearby, to escape the hurly burly of family life. Jackson Simpson's Uncle, Alec Fraser, was an artist and head of Gray's Art School . At Newtonhill the young Henry Jackson Simpson would sit quietly at the back of the studio and watch his uncle paint. There can be no doubt about the influence that Alec Fraser's art had on his young nephew.

Henry Jackson Simpson shortened his name to Jackson Simpson after he started etching, to avoid confusion with another Aberdeen etcher of the same name. One of his earliest etchings was "Mates", the delightful print of two birds nestling on a branch. Jackson Simpson's etching career was interrupted in 1914 when the copper used in the plates was required for the war effort and, despite his delicate constitution, he answered the call to arms and left for France. To begin with he was in the artillery, but was transferred to the Northumberland Fusiliers, otherwise knows as The Tyneside Scottish Regiment, where he rose through the ranks to become a Captain and also won the Military Cross for bravery.

After the war Jackson Simpson joined the family business located at Union Street, resumed etching and began studying at Gray's School of Art. He was an outstanding draughtsman and was frequently employed by the hospital at Foresterhill to paint rapid studies of diseased eyes during operations, some of which were so accurate they were printed in medical journals. In 1949 his career as an illustrator took off again with the publication of thirteen plates In the book "The Young Angler" by John Steele Allan.

In 1921 Jackson Simpson married Isobella Benzie Hendry and they had four children: Dorothy; Mary; Jackson and Norma. Mrs Simpson died in 1940 and Jackson Simpson re-married Violet Wilson Gibb in 1943 and they had two children, Hilary and Sydney.

Jackson Simpson loved the outdoor, sporting life. He was an excellent shot and a talented fisherman and was often invited to join hunting parties including ones at Crathes and Tarland. His hobbies were also the subject of his art; the etching of Crathes Castle, the fisherman on the river, etchings of ducks or other waterfowl, or watercolours of his faithful gundogs and favourite rivers. His love of Aberdeen is reflected in the etchings of the city's buildings for example "Marischal College" and "The Old Crown",  whilst the time he spent in the country taught him to appreciate the colours and the wide skies of Scotland which are found in his watercolours.

Jackson Simpson was a prolific artist who painted and etched a wide range of subject matter, including seascapes, still-lives, animal studies, topographical views and miniatures. Jackson Simpson did not execute many miniatures. They were painted under a magnifying glass. The ivory on which they are painted was imported from a firm in Denmark and the gold frames were also especially made. Many of the miniatures are similar to the scenes depicted In his watercolours.

In addition to painting, Jackson Simpson worked on restoration in his studio at 4 Diamond Street and was the contact in the North East for Sotheby's, Christies and Phillips. He was also a member of the Northern Arts Club and ran painting classes. Due to ill health Jackson Simpson retired early, but his love of art never ceased. Right up until his death he was taken out sketching by his doctor, despite being practically bed-ridden. Many of his later watercolours were road scenes painted from the car. He died in 1963.

Jackson Simpson's art reflects the light and atmosphere of his favourite areas of the North East of Scotland. His interest In the sporting life, coupled with art, has left us with many attractive landscapes and charming images of his favourite animals. He was a well rounded artist, capable of working in all sorts of media. An outstanding draughtsman, Jackson Simpson's etchings and watercolours of Aberdeen and its surroundings record many local views which have now disappeared and because of this he plays an important pan in the visual history of Aberdeen.