Biography courtesy of “California Watercolors 1850-1970” by Gordon T. McClelland and Jay T. Last. Copyright Hillcrest Press, Inc. 2002



James Couper Wright (1906-1969)...Born: Kirkwall, Scotland

Studied: Edinburgh College of Art

Member: American Watercolor Society, California Water Color Society.

James Couper Wright grew up in the Orkney Islands. After attending the Edinburgh College of Art, he went to France and Germany on a scholarship to study the design of stained glass windows. While studying this art form, he worked with transparent painting mediums and became particularly interested in watercolor painting. He came to California in 1930 and settled in Pasadena.

Transparent watercolors were his favorite medium, and while he often went out on location to sketch, he preferred to paint his final works in the studio. As an art instructor, Wright taught at the Otis Art Institute, Occidental College and Coronado School of Fine Arts. He also conducted private classes in watercolor painting for many years.

Biographical information:

California Water Color Society (Catalogs).