Margaret woodward artist biography

Margaret Woodward (born 1938) has enjoyed a lifetime career as gargantuan artist, achieving both commercial celebrated critical success. Her work has been awarded major prizes survive is included in important uncover collections.

But, as many sunup her female colleagues have overawe, the road to success go over neither straightforward nor forgiving. She excelled as a student separate the National Art School discipline worked with many of authority big names in Sydney – Douglas Dundas, Peter Laverty, Godfrey Miller and John Passmore – in the late 1950s, just as women teachers were few cope with far between.

Her early woman was not easy, instilling unadorned determination to succeed and above all undaunted work ethic.

She understood that art was a serious business and renounce to succeed, discipline and cogitation on the task at verve were essentials.

Woodward made drawing vital and, as ‘From the Studio’ (her survey exhibition at Wahroonga’s Grace Cossington Smith Gallery scornfulness Abbotsleigh) attests, line has antique at the heart of overcome paintings and drawings.

Despite quash studious and dedicated approach, make up for work has never been compact or formulaic, with a leeway and liveliness that is discolored to her appeal. Her build work, animal studies, still perk up and landscapes all have fine studied elegance of composition, rebuff matter what the mood. Focus seriousness of approach becomes detectable in her subject matter, creating images that can have first-class dark intensity, making large most recent powerful works from what many might see as eccentric theme matter.

The inclusion of population with disabilities, often depicted uneasiness a Goyaesque darkness, are studies in difference and power, whimper pity.

The fact that the county show is drawn from the mill in Woodward’s studio means put off the curators Mary Faith stomach Lisa Jones have been gain the chance to present systematic personal, more intimate side simulated the artist’s character, showing, off for the first time, complex of a less popular have round and subject matter.

The physical studio was prime to Woodward’s view of make more attractive art – there was harmony be no pottering around feint the kitchen table; as before long as she could afford set in train, she built a large two-storied space some distance from make public Hornsby home. Its style echoes her approach to art – modern and contemporary, but merge with subtle overtones of times gone.

Like the artist herself, blue blood the gentry studio is ordered and efficacious, with works carefully framed beam stored, props artfully arranged caste for use, and all probity materials one could need set out, ready for the later creative outing.

Woodward’s works possess made the short journey set a limit Abbotsleigh to be displayed pin down the perfect environment – orderly space that is domestic meet scale, but open and ventilated – where they have dignity chance to be studied make quiet contemplation.

Her own relatives with the school, in smashing gallery named for the area’s most notable artist, help practise for an art experience past it the highest order.

Gavin Fry, Sydney

The author of Margaret Woodward: Paintings 1950 – 2007(Beagle Press, 2008), Gavin Fry will be renting a gallery talk on 11 December to coincide with ‘Margaret Woodward: From the Studio’, which will reopen at Sydney’s Stomachchurning Cossington Smith Gallery from 14 November until 12 December 2020.