Martha Houston

Martha Houston was a high school teacher in High River where she taught English, French and Art. When she retired she decided to stay in High River as the surrounding landscape was ideal for painting. It was Houston who organized the High River Sketch Club, which inspired community interest in art for numerous years. During the summer, Houston attended class at the Banff School of Fine Arts (now the Banff Centre). Training under Walter J. Phillips, she won honours four times at the Banff School for watercolours. Houston also took evening classes at the Alberta College of Art.

She produced many black and white linoleum prints, a few of which were exhibited at the Royal Ontario Museum Toronto, with the Canadian Society of Painters-Etchers. Some of her prints were also published in Canadian Forum Magazine.