Margaret Williams-McGowan

Born and raised in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, a small, charming town along the Ohio River. A love of animals, especially horses, has inspired her art since childhood. Her grandmother enjoyed relating the story of the drive through the country when Margaret, 5 or 6 years old, asked them to stop the car so she could sketch horses in a pasture. Her father, a dog enthusiast, was another strong influence. She showed and bred purebred Arabian horses for many years, still owns two mares and has always had companion dogs.

Studied both commercial and fine art. Over twenty-five years as a retail advertising artist working in such diversified fields as advertising agencies, newspapers, direct mail publications and large department store chains, including nine years at Gimbels Pittsburgh. Areas of expertise are fashion illustration, layout, and graphic design.

A pastelist, her fine art career began in earnest in 1994 when she was accepted into a national exhibition and museum tour, then placing 2nd out of 808 entries in a national magazine cover contest. She's been featured in the Sunday North edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. A Finalist in the Animal Category of the Artist's Magazines Annual Art Competition three times. Awarded 3rd place in the animal category of the Pastel Journal's 6th annual Pastel 100 Competition - full page appeared in the April 2005 issue. Has received numerous awards at national and international exhibitions including Best of Show.

mwmpastels.com

Memberships:

Signature Member, Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod pastelpainterssocietyofcapecod.com

Signature Member, Women Artists of the West waow.org

Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club clwac.org

Pittsburgh Pastel Artist League ppalartists.com

Degas Pastel Society degaspastelsociety.org