Maggie Chiara Cowling: 'Goose neck gum (Edgars Ck)'.

Maggie Chiara Cowling: 'Goose neck gum (Edgars Ck)'.

Watercolour 28 x 36 cm (framed).

website: fineartandfurniture.com.au

Painting has always been an essential part of Maggie’s life. As the daughter of a professional artist, she considered painting a natural medium of expression. She has shown her paintings and drawings in eight solo exhibitions (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2010, two in 2012, 2013), three joint exhibitions (2002, 2004, 2011) and participated in numerous group exhibitions (most recently 2014, 2017 and 2020).

Since 2011 she has been ‘Artist in residence’ at the Alma Doepel historic schooner restoration works, and continues to paint this beautiful vessel and the volunteers labouring to restore her.  

She has also illustrated children’s books. Maggie’s first medium is watercolour, since it never ceases to impress her with its whimsical spontaneity, its capacity for a variety of styles and applications, but especially its fluidity and potential for capturing light. She finds the alchemy of watercolour most urgent and immediate when painting en plein air.

With a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Letters from the University of Melbourne, her academic background is mainly classical studies, language, Italian history and history of art. She has painted extensively in Italy, as well as conducting art tours there. She has also studied visual arts (painting and ceramics) at Ballarat University College. From time to time she has tutored in painting and drawing.