Born Galashiels, 29 March; died Edinburgh 7 Jan. Painter in oil and watercolour of landscapes, figure subjects, interiors and still life. Daughter of a tweed designer. Educated Hawick HS where she was strongly encouraged by her art teacher John Gray. Overcame parental objection to entering art school by obtaining a teacher's certificate at Moray House. Then enrolled at Edinburgh College of Art 1913-1917 studying under Robert Burns, Henry Linton and DM Sutherland. In 1917, having qualified as as art teacher and obtaining a travelling scholarship in 1919, visited Brussels, Bruges, Paris, Florence and Siena. She said that it was only after her visit to Siena, when she became familiar with the Primtives, that she knew that they were much greater than most artists who have painted since 'and I have never changed my mind'. Married James Beattie Michie, then an architect with the Imperial War Graves Commission, in 1920. Lived in France until 1934, the last four years at Cap Ferrat, before returning to Hawick, and in 1934 resumed her work as a painter. At the time of her first solo exhibition in Edinburgh in 1947 she was painting landscapes and still life interiors in white and grey although gradually moving towards a brighter palette inspired by Gauguin and Matisse and by oriental manuscripts and Far Eastern textiles. Visited Paris again in 1948 and moved to Edinburgh in 1949. A visit to Spain that year inspired her to adopt a new expressive handling of paint and to incorporate a sense of drama into otherwise rather dull compositions of peasants, hill towns and church interiors. 
A visit to Corsica in 1954 stimulated a still more brilliant use of colour and a fascination with the organic nature of rocks buildings, plants and jewel-encrusted altar pieces. In 1955 she became seriously ill and although recovering in 1959 suffered a second serious illness which left her unable to use her right hand. With her output now seriously limited she went to the Canary Islands in 1959, Portugal in 1961 and Holland in 1962. During these trips her works incorporated red, brown, blue and purple paint scumbled, scraped and piled upon the canvas until buildings, rocks and water, flowers and cloth or holy relic and screen became a unified, vibrant whole. She was always looking at the world afresh and capturing unsuspected beauty. In her oils, paint is almost alive, handled with a tortuous yet controlled vision. She was most noted for her still lifes and for her east coast, French and Spanish subjects. Her visit to Paris, Brussels and Italy influenced her firstly towards the style of Botticelli, although she described herself as a contemporary rather than a modern painter. 
Elected ARBA 1946, ARSA 1947, President of the Scottish Society of Women Artists 1944-7, ROI 1948, RSA 1951, OBE 1955, ARA 1960. Was a frequent exhibitor at the RSA, RA and GI. Represented in SNGMA, Glasgow AG, City of Edinburgh Collection (3), Kirkcaldy AG, Lillie AG (Milngavie), Brodie Castle (NTS), Manchester AG, Abbot Hall AG (Kendal), Nat Gall of New Zealand (Wellington), Sydney AG (Australia).