Margaret Scott
A Sense of Place
A retrospective spanning 50 years
February 3 – 26, 2017
Oakura artist Margaret Scott's work reflects living between Mount Taranaki and the sea, in a career spanning more than 50 years.
Margaret was born in Opunake and has lived all her life on the Taranaki coast.
Margaret describes her work as personal symbolism, as it is based on personally acquired and assimilated experiences of her life and the environment where she lives. This environment, between the mountain, Mt Egmont/Taranaki, and the Taranaki coastline is reflected in symbols in her work.
Margaret lived on a dairy farm with her husband Ian for 35 years where they raised a family of four. Margaret worked alongside her husband on the farm and painted when time allowed. Her well-known and recognised paintings of cows reflect this time in her life.
She taught polytechnic and art night classes in the early years when her children were young, followed by a 10-year stint as HOD of Art at Opunake High School.
In her latest book, 'Self-portrait of a Paua', Margaret says her style of painting has evolved and developed as her circumstances have changed.
Shellfish such as paua, and the sea, feature strongly in her work as it symbolises the memories of her childhood growing up on the coast at Oaonui, and the coastal environment.
Margaret now resides in the seaside settlement of Oakura, 10 minutes south of New Plymouth, where she paints and runs classes in her purpose-built studio.
Her current work often focuses on the views she has of the Kaitaki Ranges and the native plants in her garden such as nikau, puka, flax and cabbage trees, and of course, the beautiful views of the sea. Her environment is an abundant resource for creative ideas.
Margaret paints mainly in acrylics, does some watercolours, but also loves mixed media and creating textural works.
