| Art
Studies: In 1960 Margaret completed a four year Diploma of Art (Illustration)
at the Royal Melbourne Technical College (R.M.I.T.) under the tutelage
of Murray Griffin, William Frater and Harold Freedman. She worked as a
free lance Illustrator, Display Artist, Design Artist and Art Instructor
before travelling extensively overseas. In Florence Margaret attended the
University for Foreigners whilst living in the capacity of au pair with
a family, and formed a life-long connection with Italy. In Australia she
took oil painting classes with Shirley Bourne.
Exhibitions: Margaret's
first solo Exhibition was in oils at the Abacus Gallery, Ashburton in 1976.
In 1983 she held her first Exhibition of watercolours. She now exhibits
annually in solo and group exhibitions the media of water colour and drawing.
In 1993, '94, and '97 Margaret's
water colour portraits were selected to hang in the Portia Geach Memorial
Award Exhibition in Sydney.
2005
87th Annual Exhibition of Twenty Melbourne Painters Society,Glen
Eira City Gallery
Activities: In 1977
and 1978 Margaret worked as an assistant to the State Artist, Harold Freedman,
on the History of Transport Mural and the History of Geelong Mosaic. Margaret
has taught Water Colour and Life Drawing at various venues including many
years at the Victorian Artists' Society. She conducts workshops in Water
Colour and Drawing throughout Australia. Margaret was Artist in Residence
at Melbourne Grammar School during 1992.
She was Honorary Secretary
of the Water Colour Society of Victoria and The Twenty Melbourne Painters'
Society Inc., is a signatory member of the Victorian Artists' Society and
a member of the Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors.
Margaret annually conducts
painting Tours to Venice, Florence, Lucca, Rome and surrounds, Cinque Terre
and Sicily.[Click here to see the
Art Tours]
Publications, Bibliographies
and Awards:
In June 1989 Margaret's
article 'How to tackle figure painting in water colour' was published in
the 'Australian Artist' magazine, and she has been included in several
publications by Jean Campbell, Max Germaine, Juliet Peers and Alan McCulloch.
Amongst the awards that Margaret
has received are the 1988 Special Award $10,000 from the AME Bale Trust,
Artist of the Year, Victorian Artists' Society in 1990 and 1992, and in
2000 the inaugural Annie Davison Oliver Award from The Melbourne
Society of Women Painters and Sculptors. |
Margaret Cowling
"La Siciliana"
Margaret Cowling
water colour 36x26 cm
|