David West was a watercolour painter of land, sea and sky. He was born on 12 November 1868 in Lossiemouth, the youngest of 12 children. He died 8 October 1936 in Glasgow. West was the son of Captain James West, commander of a sailing schooner. In 1883, West’s parents moved to Aberdeen and West attended Aberdeen grammar school for one year before going to sea with his father. During this time West found time to attend the Aberdeen Mechanics Institute and studied life drawing. While still working as a seaman he continued to paint culminating in his award of a gold medal at the Industry and Art Exhibition in Aberdeen in 1888.

From 1889 to 1894, West exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy in London. That fiv...