Margery Withers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margery Withers
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Margery Withers, circa 1903, State Library Victoria
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| Born | 13 January 1890 |
| Died | 1966 |
| Education | National Gallery School |
| Known for | Painting |
Margery Pitt Withers (born January 13, 1890 – died 1966) was an Australian artist. She was known for her beautiful paintings of people and landscapes. Margery lived in Australia for most of her life and became a very talented painter.
Contents
Margery Withers: Her Life as an Artist
Margery Withers was born in England. Her parents were Fanny Flinn and the famous Australian landscape artist Walter Withers. When Margery was just six months old, her family moved to Australia. They lived at the Charterisville estate in East Ivanhoe, Victoria.
Margery's Art Education
Margery's father worked as an art teacher at several schools in Melbourne. These included the Presbyterian Ladies' College and Melbourne Grammar School. Margery followed in her father's footsteps. She studied art at the National Gallery School and the Working Men's College.
At the National Gallery School, Margery was a brilliant student. She won nine different prizes for her art. She even received a special prize of £50 from the National Gallery. This was for her painting called The Letter.
Personal Life and Challenges
Margery was engaged to a fellow art student named John (Jack) Martin Paterson. He was a soldier during World War 1. Sadly, Jack was killed in battle in August 1918.
In 1927, Margery married Richard Matthew McCann. He was also an artist and helped start the Twenty Melbourne Painters group. Margery taught art at Swinburne College for several years. However, when she got married in 1928, she was asked to leave her full-time job. This was a common rule for married women back then. She could only apply for a temporary position without benefits.
Margery's Artistic Style
Margery painted both people and landscapes. She used oil paints and watercolours. People described her work as finding "charm in every shadow and light under her brush." This means she was very good at showing how light and shadows made things look special.
She painted in different places in Victoria, like Tawonga, Diamond Creek, and Heidelberg.
Exhibiting Her Work
Margery showed her paintings with important art groups. These included the Victorian Artists Society and the Twenty Melbourne Painters Society. She also exhibited alongside other talented artists like Polly Hurry and A.M.E. Bale.
Her portrait of her husband, Richard McCann, was chosen as a finalist for the famous Archibald Prize in 1939. This is a very important art award in Australia.
Where to See Her Art
You can find Margery Withers' paintings in several art collections. These include the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the State Library Victoria. Her art is also at the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum and the University of Western Australia.
Margery Withers' Artworks
Here are some of the artworks Margery Withers created:
- 1910, Early Eltham looking towards Montmorency
- ca. 1913–1922, A Warrandyte Farm, near Frank Crozier's
- 1920, Kit Turner's Cottage, Eltham
- 1920, Souter's College, Eltham
- 1920, Studley Park
- ca. 1920–1940, Christ Church, South Yarra
- 1924, Bridge and piers
- 1932, Yarra floods and North Balwyn from Ivanhoe-Boulevard
- 1935, Portrait of unidentified young woman
- 1945, Orchard country, North Eltham
Exhibitions Margery Withers Participated In
Margery Withers regularly showed her work in art exhibitions. She often exhibited with her father, Walter Withers, and with the Twenty Melbourne Painters.
- Walter and Margery Withers, Collins House, 1915
- Solo exhibition, Athenaeum Gallery, 1919
- Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Hall, 1921
- Group exhibition (Margery, Nancy & Meynell Withers), Athenaeum Hall, 1922
- Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Hall, 1923
- Solo exhibition, Athenaeum Gallery, 1929
- Heidelberg Art Show, 1934
- Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Gallery, 1935
- Heidelberg "Inspiration of Landscape Art" exhibition, Heidelberg Town Hall, 1937
- Heidelberg 3rd art exhibition, Ivanhoe Town Hall, 1940
- Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Gallery, 1947
