Margaret Heath RSMA

Statement

Having spent much of her childhood in Brighton, Margaret Heath's love of the sea was her inspiration when she became a painter. Margaret loves the changing effects of light and weather on the water; boats and their reflections, the beauty of natural forms in coastal scenes and the vibrancy of seaside architecture.

Methodology

Margaret paints with watercolours on Arches 600gsm rough paper, using large round sable brushes for washes, and small synthetic brushes for detail. Unless working on a commission, she always paints from her own photographs. This enables her to catch fleeting light effects, and Margaret will often combine several photos to paint one image. Having drawn the subject in pencil, she uses masking fluid to preserve areas she wants left white. Washes are then applied in careful sequence, working from light to dark, gradually building up the picture. Soft areas are painted on wet paper. Masking fluid is removed, details painted in and the painting finished up. A painting may take several days to complete, and Margaret often works on two at once. A very large commission may take several weeks. Sometimes a pencil rough, then a smaller preliminary painting may be necessary, before producing a very large commissioned work.

Bio

1944 Born on 13 July in Oxford

1960-64 studied at Wimbledon School of Art, graduating with the National Diploma in Design (NDD) in illustration.

Freelance Illustrator for national advertising campaigns and educational books for many years before becoming a full-time painter

2006 Elected an Associate Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists

2010 Elected a Full Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists 

2011- Became RSMA Hon. Secretary