About Me
Hello! I’m Margaret
Artist & Jewellery Maker
The Australian way of life and its icons, including the Aussie backyard, childhood memories and our unique native flora and fauna, are a constant source of subject matter for Whitsunday based artist, Margaret Burgess.
Margaret’s work can be intense and deeply personal, as she uses her art to question and resolve matters of concern to her, to other pieces, which are more whimsical, playful and relate to subject matter she finds beautiful or intriguing. Margaret describes herself as a compulsive maker and is constantly exploring new methods and techniques to use different materials for her jewellery and sculptures..
Her more recent works have had a focus on environmental issue and sustainability, they include pieces such as sculptures and jewellery created from marine plastic and debris, and sea glass collected from her Whitsunday backyard. To recycling broken china and glass as well as synthetic fabrics and vintage silver flatware.
Margaret founded the Plastic Boutique projects that have a creative artistic focus to engage community members and raise awareness of plastic pollution and the damage our it causes to our environment because of human ignorance and neglect.
“Our planet sustains us. We need to care about earth now or humanities future will be: no food, no clean air, just an uninhabitable rubbish dump. Please be mindful of planet earth. Reduce, recycle, reuse.”
Awards, Exhibitions
& Representations
Awards
Highly Commended | Art on Show, 2017
Winner Contemporary | Art & Artist Awards, 2008
Winner Artspace Mackay Award | Art on Show, 2008
Acceptance | Stanthorp Regional Gallery, 2008
Winner | Art on Show, 2007
Solo Exhibitions
Recycled Rhythm | Roz’s Place, 2019
Mad Hatters Tea Party | Roz’s Place, 2018
Taking Flight | Roz’s Place, 2017
Journey On Canvas | The Upstairs Gallery, 2012
The Child Of the High Seas | Gargett Gallery, 2010
The Tea Party | La De Da, 2008
Memories From a Crowded House | Artspace Mackay, 2007
Figuring It Out | Milton House Gallery, 2006
Group Exhibitions
Artist Of The Collective Coalface Gallery Moranbah 2022
Plastic Boutique 3 Caneland. Mackay 2021
Art On The Hill Roz’s Place 2021
The Garden Party Roz’s Place 2020
Plastic Boutique 2 | Canelands Mackay, 2019
Foundations and Drawing | Artspace Mackay, 2019
The Murials Tomorrow Exhibition; The Murials Today Exhibition, 2018
Three Artists Three Attitudes | The Upstairs Gallery Mackay, 2014
Looking Forward, Looking Back | Artspace Mackay, 2012
Take a Seat | The Upstairs Gallery Mackay, 2012
Women in Art | The Art Factory Gallery Brisbane, 2012
Take a Seat | The Upstairs Gallery Mackay, 2011
Postcard Exhibition | Artspace Mackay, 2011; 2009
Off The Wall Exhibition | Artspace Mackay, 2008
Community Projects
Artist Collective Caneland 2020-2022
Plastic Boutique 3 “Healthy Planet” 2021
Great Barrier Reef Festival Immerse Lead Sculpture Artist 2021
Artist In Residence Canelands, 2019
Plastic Boutique 2, Pleadeg to the Planet 2019
Plastic Boutique Pilot Project, 2017
Upon The Levee Wall, 2015
Public Art
“Upon The Levee Wall” mural
The Mackay Convention Center “Siblings”