James Swinton Diston (1857–1940) was born in Leven, Scotland. He studied at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, with his early work was exhibited there and at the Royal Academy, London. Diston emigrated to Australia in 1886 and became a prominent member of the Victoria Art Society, where he exhibited from 1914 to 1917. His preferred medium was watercolour, painting coastal scenes and rural landscapes throughout his extensive travels around Australia, as well as in India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and in Europe. Later in his career he became a well-known art guide and lecturer.
