James Mackenzie (1927–2013): Northumberland’s Painter of Grit and Grace James Mackenzie, born in Dundee in 1927, was a Scottish painter whose distinctive style captured the rugged beauty of Northumberland landscapes alongside intimate portrayals of working-class life. He achieved considerable renown during his lifetime as an artist and actor, notably for his role as Gary Trenton in the BBC Scotland soap opera River City and as Jeor Mormont in HBO’s Game of Thrones. Mackenzie's artistic vision was profoundly shaped by his upbringing amidst the industrial heritage of Dundee and a lifelong fasc…