Dawson was born in
Edinburgh and studied at the
Edinburgh College of Art before continuing her artistic training in London at the school of animal painting run by
William Frank Calderon in
Kensington. She returned to Edinburgh, where she lived for the majority of her life and maintained a studio, first at 130
George Street and then, from 1943 at Palmerston Place. Dawson was also considered skilled at embroidery and undertook decorative work. Dawson was a prolific exhibitor showing over ninety works at both the
Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts and the Royal Scottish Watercolour Society during her career.
Newport Museum and Art Gallery hold examples of her work. ==References==