His sister, Marjory Henderson married the well-known Scottish painter William McTaggart.
His first exhibit was in 1884 at the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, where he became a member of the Council.
He also assisted at the Glasgow International Exhibition (1901) and Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry (1911) and served as a Governor of the Glasgow School of Art from 1906 to 1918.
The School of Art and the Glasgow University strengthened their links under his leadership developing an Architectural Degree in 1924 which gave the School a teaching institutional status.
During his working time at the Glasgow School of Art he painted a portrait of Andrew Fergus (1827-1887) MD MRCS, which hangs in the University of Strathclyde.