Description

After a successful series of online and in-person workshops focusing on the value of colour and working purely in graphite, Margaret  re-introduced the artists in the program to colour but this time combining graphite and colour with a distinct purpose. Margaret teaches graphite, watercolour and coloured pencil, so for this monochrome (graphite) and colour combination approach, the artists worked with their preferred colour medium.

 

Margaret will offer a presentation showing how the value of colour impacts the realism required of botanical approach. She will share some of the artists’ amazing mixed media results and explain how this innovative combination can add some unique qualities to your work. She will also demonstrate some of the techniques used. 

 

Biography

Margaret Best B.Ed. SBA Fellow

Born in South Africa of British parents, Margaret graduated as a math and art teacher. After teaching both subjects in Cape Town and the British School in Tehran, Iran, she immigrated to Canada with her husband and daughter in 1981.

 

Margaret’s connection with art started at an early age with a classical training under private tutorage. Plant subjects were often a favourite topic, but it was not until 1999 that a serendipitous connection with botanical art happened at the Museum of Nature in the Cotswolds. It was a pivotal moment that changed Margaret’s artistic direction forever.

 

After completing masterclasses with AnnMarie Evans and Katie Lee, Margaret was mentored by renowned artist Pandora Sellars for seven years. This involved frequent trips to work in Pandora’s Herefordshire studio as well as organizing workshops for fellow artists.  With Pandora’s encouragement Margaret returned to teaching – this time purely botanical art.

 

Margaret has taught in 11 different countries, mostly for botanical art societies and destination workshops. She has been on the faculty of Dundas Valley School of Art (DVSA) - west of Toronto - for eight years with both in person and online offerings. She has given numerous online presentations and in-person workshops at symposiums and conferences for ASBA. She has authored many e-booklets for botanical art in graphite, coloured pencil and watercolour mediums, now available on her dedicated education website.

 

Margaret has exhibited in many international juried exhibitions in England, Canada, USA, South Africa. These include numerous annual events organized by American Society of Botanical Art as well the triennial events organized by ASBA and New York Botanical Gardens.  She also had a solo exhibition in Bermuda in 2012 where she created a botanical art program – in addition to three other programs she has developed during her past 18 years of teaching in Canada.

 

Margaret has been commissioned to design numerous coins in silver, gold, and platinum for the Royal Canadian Mint - one of the designs winning an award in 2014.  Her work is in the collection of the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Library and the Florilegium collection of the Royal Botanical Gardens of Sydney, Australia as well as other private collections around the globe. In 2024 Margaret was appointed an  SBA fellow.