Landscape artist. Born in Dalry (North Ayrshire), Houston moved with his family to Saltcoats. He was a prolific painter of landscapes, capturing the atmosphere and changing seasons of Ayrshire and Argyllshire using both oil and watercolour. Amongst his many works were a series of twelve etchings entitled Burns' Country (1915) with notes by his friend, the author Neil Munro (1864 - 1930). His paintings are held by galleries across the UK. An Ayrshire Landscape was purchased by Glasgow Corporation in 1904 and is held in the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, along with the Heart of Argyll and the White Sands of Iona. Aberdeen Art Gallery holds his oil Strathtay, Perthshire, while The Road by the Loch hangs in the Low Parks Museum in Hamilton, Peden's Point, Dalry is held by the Hunterian Art Gallery, Early Morning by the City Art Centre in Edinburgh, At Crinan by McLean Museum and Art Gallery in Greenock and Dalry Farm House and Loch Fyne are displayed in the North Ayrshire Heritage Centre in Saltcoats. First Thaw is held by Maggie's Centre Glasgow.
Houston was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1900 and gained full membership in 1925. He also served as Chair of the Dalry Burns Club. He died at his home, West Lynn in Dalry.
