Tulips from Amsterdam 1996 - 2021
Tulips from Amsterdam’ is now a sequence of over three hundred works of paintings, drawings, installations, prints, etchings plus two published books of drawings, whose inception lay in a two- and half-day trip to Amsterdam.
Margaret’s previous work was abstract oil painting and printing on paper, using images of elephants and old lace as her source material, subsequently; she became enchanted when she encountered what was to become known to her, as ‘the elephant bar’ in Amsterdam. She says, “A mural of two elephants adorned the wall of this bar and a Turkish lantern gave off a beautiful lace pattern across the whole of this area, this serendipity experience haunted me when I returned to London and started me on a journey which I still find fascinating today”. Artists I have been influenced by are German artists Otto Dix 1891 - 1969 / George Grosz 1893 - 1959 and Anselm Kiefer b 194
(Most of us think of lace as fragile but in fact lace can be very strong, whereas elephants look strong but in fact they and their existence are fragile. Their environment is threatened, they are hunted for their tusk and left to die a horrible death, with sometimes their young baby elephant left as witness, also other members of the family to find the slaughtered body). Did you know that elephants cry? Today, there are just 415,000 elephants left across Africa
In her work, Margaret journeys from the streets and canals of Amsterdam, to the Ottoman Empire and of course Turkey where the Tulip is the national flower.
The ‘Tulip’ series is embracing the design aspect of her quilting days in America.
Margaret also admires the early Netherlands, Turkish and of course our own William Morris’s designs.
In her work she picks up on the issues of gender, identity and fragility of the human psyche, exploring the underbelly of society. “I am concerned to develop the works that visit the sites of my own imagination and experience and those of a collective, social and political history. Always looking for new forms of expression, new challenges within her fine art practice have taken her forward to create a deeper layer of work
Window no,1 'Cheeky pose' - 1998
Window no,1 'Cheeky pose' - 1998
Window no,1 'Cheeky pose' - 1998
The f irst window in the series.
'Small space' - 2007
Window no,1 'Cheeky pose' - 1998
Window no,1 'Cheeky pose' - 1998
I have been influenced by the Belgium artist Rene Magritte 1898 - 1967 in this painting
'Pensive / 1999
Window no,1 'Cheeky pose' - 1998
'The blessing - captured Light' / 1998
I have been influenced by the Spanish artist, Julio Romero de Torres in this particular painting. She is pensive/reflective/thinking of the plight of the poor.
'The blessing - captured Light' / 1998
'The blessing - captured Light' / 1998
'The blessing - captured Light' / 1998
Maybe I was not concentrating on the painting-suddenly the cross appears and shaft of light lit the whole area.
'Only in body' - 2015
'The blessing - captured Light' / 1998
'Take all that I have' 2008c
In this painting I have used abstract figurative with the real, a copy of one of my bigger paintings is placed at the ntierior of the space which drawers the observer away and gives her time to reflect and dream.
'Take all that I have' 2008c
'The blessing - captured Light' / 1998
'Take all that I have' 2008c
Again Rene Magritte's humour has his influence in this painting .My aim is to engage the viewer to ‘like’ the colours and textures but later reflect and create a sense of unease -
"Loss of Identity"
"Cherry Picking" / 2007
"Cherry Picking" / 2007
Speaks for itself using the surreal
"Cherry Picking" / 2007
"Cherry Picking" / 2007
"Cherry Picking" / 2007
Showing her in the foreground has given depth to the work. This work comes from one of my drawings.
"The Dream" 2008c
"Cherry Picking" / 2007
'Money makes the world go around'
Reality hits a soft space - 2008 - 23”x11” print on board — and is part of a bigger image taken from an installation. Again I have used colour and texture to engage the viewer.
'Money makes the world go around'
'Money makes the world go around'
'Money makes the world go around'
Digital photograph from installation
'Yellow Butterfly - Lost Dreams' Window Series - installati
This image is taking the work further-making an installation-filling the space with artifacts which indicate a hopeless situation. Look deeper find indicators of loss and despair. Allow yourself to be drawn in, to see beyond the bight colours of the digital print -take care when stepping out.
"Out of context out of place"
Baby Brown - Lino cut / 2003 - Indian elephant prints may be available later
Baby Brown - Lino cut / 2003 - Indian elephant prints may be available later
Digital print maybe available later
Baby Brown - Lino cut / 2003 - Indian elephant prints may be available later
Baby Brown - Lino cut / 2003 - Indian elephant prints may be available later
Baby Brown - Lino cut / 2003 - Indian elephant prints may be available later
Indian Elephant in Berlin 2010c
Baby Brown - Lino cut / 2003 - Indian elephant prints may be available later
"Beaded Elephant" 1996c-watercolour on paper/prints available
"Beaded Elephant" 1996c-watercolour on paper/prints available
"Beaded Elephant" 1996c-watercolour on paper/prints available
"Beaded Elephant" 1996c-watercolour on paper/prints available
1996/7 (watercolour on paper)
Pointillism is a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of colour are applied in patterns to form an image. George Seurat and Paul Signac developed the technique in 1886, branching from impressionism. I came across this technique while attending an art foundation course in London.
The Australian
1996/7 (watercolour on paper)
Pointillism is a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of colour are applied in patterns to form an image. George Seurat and Paul Signac developed the technique in 1886, branching from impressionism. I came across this technique while attending an art foundation course in London.
The Australian Aboriginals use this technique for a lot of their art. They call it ‘Dot’ painting. (The elephant is from Rembrandt’s Baby Elephant drawing. Prints available.
"Blazing Sunset"
"Beaded Elephant" 1996c-watercolour on paper/prints available
"Defiant" Lino cut - 1997c / prints are available
Lino cut on paper (prints may be available later).
"Defiant" Lino cut - 1997c / prints are available
"Beaded Elephant" 1996c-watercolour on paper/prints available
"Defiant" Lino cut - 1997c / prints are available
Lino cut/print on paper - A3 archival Gilee prints available - see shop
ALSO did you know that elephants are environmentalist? Eating fruits and berries are part of their diet, when they can get them - this enables the seeds to be part of the re-growth of forests and single trees as they defecate, the seeds take hold and grow.
READ THE - DID YOU KNOW - notice below
African Baby blue 2001c -- did you know
DID YOU KNOW?
DID YOU KNOW THAT ELEPHANTS CRY - JUST LIKE WE DO? DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN A BABY ELEPHANT HAS BEEN LEFT AS WITNESS AFTER THE SLAUGHTER OF ITS MOTHER/FATHER - FOR THEIR IVORY TUSKS - THE MATRIARCH OF ANOTHER FAMILY WILL TAKE THE BABY IN AS HER OWN. THEY ARE INTELLIGENT AND FEELING. THEY SWIM, THEY PLANT TREES FROM THE SEEDS THEY EAT WHEN DEFECATING. THEY COULD ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PRINTING OF PRINTS AS THE FIBURE IN THEIR DUNG CAN ALSO BE MADE INTO PAPER, HA HA HA - THEY ARE INDEED AWSOME, BEAUTIFUL, STRANGE BEINGS AND I LOVE THEM - YET THEY ARE SO VULNERABLE.
ABOUT 18 YEARS AGO I WENT TO VISIT LONDON ZOO. THERE WERE THREE ELEPHANTS BEHIND A SORT OF STEEL GATE - (it might have been feeding time??) THEY WERE SWAYING FROM SIDE TO SIDE SHOWING A LEVAL OF STRESS THAT HAD BECOME UNBEARABLE
'Google search:::::Tens of thousands of elephants are being killed every year for their ivory tusks. The ivory is often carved into ornaments and Jewellery – ASIA is the biggest consumer market for such products BUT LET'S ADMIT IT - WHO HASN'T OWNED A BIT OF IVORY IN THE PAST - AND IN THOSE DAYS BEING NIEVE OF THE CONSEQUENCES TO OUR LOVELY ELEPHANT POPULATION.' sometimes the ivory tusks stays stored in sheds etc. untouched for years. I will have links to WWF on my facebook page as soon as I learn how all this works.
My ongoing body of work, 'Tulips From Amsterdam' which consists of over 300 works of paintings, prints, drawings, installations, digital prints, etchings and photography.
This work grew out of my love of elephants and lace. During a two and a half day trip to Amsterdam in 1996. which also exposed me to the great Dutch trading empire. This started me on a journey which I still find fascinating today.
I started doing 'arty' things as a child growing up in Lancashire. I would stick paper flowers on my parent’s wine glasses and draw faces in the margins of my schoolbooks. However, life led me in directions other than subsequent art education at that time but while living in America, I began the time — honoured crafts of patchwork, quilting and rug making.
Upon returning to London I became involved in theatre, opera groups, choirs and took part in performances in and around London. I also continued to participate and take short courses in the arts, crafts, fashion/interior design and photography, which led to my graduation from Chelsea College of Art & Design 2002.
I have been a member of ASC studio complex for about 14 years. Moving back into a studio in Brixton Village, I founded the Brixton Village Art-Trail, which ran for four years 2011 - 2014 and showed the work of over 80 artists within eight group exhibitions.
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ASC Studios-Brixton Village, London-other work -2012
