John Maxwell (b. 1905 d. 1962) was a painter, draughtsman and teacher. John's still lifes, landscapes and imaginative compositions have a distinctive colour range and a unique lyrical, fantastic quality. He studied at Dumfries Academy and from 1921 at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1927, a travelling scholarship enabled him to study under Léger and Ozenfant in Paris. He visited Spain and Italy, where he discovered the primitives. After a teacher-training course at Moray House in 1928, he began his teaching career at Edinburgh College of Art which lasted until 1946, when he retired to Dalbeattie to paint full-time. In 1955, W G Gillies invited him to Edinburgh College as senior lecturer in composition.