The Guildford Art Society: Artists : Margaret Palmer PS

'Study of a Child' - Pastel

'Michael Goodridge' - Pastel

'Michael Buerk' - Pastel

 

Biographical Details

Margaret Palmer PS  

1 Studied Art: Hornsey School of Art (I year)

Salisbury School of Art (2 years)

Bournemouth College of Art (1 year ATD course)

Elected member of Pastel Society in 1970s also National Society (since, not a member of the FBA )

• Artist’s Statement

I have always been devoted to portrait painting since an early age and although I have also painted and sold hundreds of genre paintings and landscapes and have been a book illustrator, portrait and figure work has remained my first love. In my opinion it combines composition, colour and tone more than any other kind of painting.

• Exhibitions

Exhibited in the RP for 12 years also the RBA , ROI, Pastel and SWA on various occasions. Three one man shows in Leatherhead, also in Henley on Thames , Guildford and Farnham.

4, 5 and 6 Method of Working in Oil and Pastel

Yes I work on commission.

I like to get to know my sitter. I take a reel of photographs, usually in lots of poses, to establish a good composition and one that represents the essence of the person. I then choose on or two frames to help create a good composition. With children this also involves choosing a pose the child can most easily sustain.

I then block in the design in monochrome indicating areas of tone as well as line.

I require as many two hour sittings as the commissioner can give me. Three Lord Mayors of London , sitting for me in the Mansion House, could only manage half hour sittings in between official duties. A lot of work was done on the robes away from the Mayors. Normally I specify five to 12 sittings for an oil, three for a pastel. The last three oil commissions to 12 hours each in my studio.

If I have several commissions, I work on them all concurrently.

7 Publications

I have contributed three sets of three articles for the art magazine Leisure Painter and have featured in many other magazines, in articles on art.

I was an illustrator as well as a portrait painter, for 10 years or more, illustrating JB Priestley’s only children’s book and illustrating many more children’s books.

I wrote and illustrated a children’s book, Honeypot and Buzz at Harraps and id some medical illustrations for a textbook. I have also featured in FBA publications – the Pastel Society Book and records of interviews in newsletters.

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The Guildford Art Society, 2006-2007. An Oppo site.