Margaret Preston (1875–1963)

Slideshow with photos by Australian painter Margaret Preston.

Margaret Preston (1875–1963)

Margaret Rose McPherson (later Margaret Preston) was born in Adelaide, Australia in 1875. She studied art at the prestigious National Gallery of Victoria Art School in 1889. And then she went on to further her studies at Adelaide’s School of Design. She set up her own studio and started taking private students in Adelaide. Later she taught at St Peter’s College, Adelaide and Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Adelaide. Her first relationship was with Bessie Davidson, another artist, and a pupil four years her junior. They travelled and studied extensively together in Europe, largely on Davidson’s allowance, between 1904 and 1910. After their relationship ended, Margaret returned home and set up a studio with Gladys Reynell, who became Margaret’s intimate companion until about 1919 when Margaret married Bill Preston. In 1912 Margaret (at that time called Rose) and Gladys went to Europe, living and studying in Paris and Brittany and enjoying life as artists until 1913 when they moved to live, paint, study ceramics and teach in London; Just before returning to Australia Gladys and Rose was teaching pottery to soldiers at Seale Hayne Neurological Hospital in Devon.
Margaret became highly influential artist during the 1920s to 1940s, known for her modernist works as a painter and printmaker and for introducing Aboriginal motifs into contemporary art.

Related Link

Margaret Preston at Wikipedia
Bessie Davidson
Gladys Reynell