Jack Moffat, retired principal teacher of art at Kinross High School, has died after a short illness. He was 89.
Born near Lesmahagow, his family moved to Friockheim and Mr Moffat worked in an accountancy firm as a clerk.
He then joined an architects’ office as a draughtsman. He took art evening classes at Brechin High School, painting the Angus landscape he loved, and was accepted by Dundee College of Art, where he met his wife-to-be, Marjory Young. He trained in painting and calligraphy.
In his third year at art college one of his tutors was the renowned artist James McIntosh Patrick, who was so impressed with Mr Moffat’s talent, his mastery of colour and composition, that he persuaded him to do an extra post-graduate year in which he produced many scenes of Dundee in the late 1940s.
He was given permission to go on to the roof of the Caird Hall to get the views he needed for some of these works.
Mr Moffat graduated in 1949 and after teacher training and teaching briefly in Perth, he took up the post of art teacher at Kinross Junior Secondary School in 1951. Over the years the single classroom with few facilities became a whole department dedicated to art and crafts, with Mr Moffat as principal teacher and two assistants. He took evening classes at the school and also taught at the local art club.
Over the years he kept in touch with many of his pupils and followed their exploits with interest. His family were amused to find he kept newspaper clippings of his pupils’ obituaries.
He designed the original shield for old Kinross High School and he also designed the mosaic which can be seen in the new Loch Leven campus.
Mr Moffat was also a very keen gardener, his garden winning Kinross in Bloom which was a very proud moment for him.
He had four children Lilian, Enid, Isabel and John. They are opening the family home at 14 Emslie Drive, Kinross, on September 5 and 6, 11, 12 and 13, from 11am to 3pm, to allow the public to see his paintings and memorabilia.