ARTGALLERY

NSW

HAVE FUN EXPLORING THE ARTOF MARGARET PRESTON

AND MAKE SOME OF YOUR OWN!

MEETMARGARET

PRESTON

CHILDREN’S TRAIL

Collecta pencil

! Look, draw and have fun!

MARGARET PRESTON (1875–1963) is one of Australia’s most celebratedartists, and is Australia’s most famous woman artist. Her colourfulpaintings, prints and bold personality have delighted the Australianpublic since the 1920s when she first came to prominence.

Discoverher paintings,prints, pottery

and textiles

Go on a journeythrough theexhibition

Above: Self Portrait 1930 (detail) oil on canvas Art Gallery of New South WalesGift of the artist at the request of the Trustees 1930

Cover: Australian coral flowers 1928 (detail) oil on canvas Private collectionAll works © Margaret Preston Estate, licensed by Viscopy Australia

! Look at this shiny tea urn.Te

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What can you seereflected in it? What do you use tomake your tea?

At home select some shiny kitchen utensils and arrange themon a table. Draw them and think carefully about the reflectionsin the objects.

Imagine drinking a cup of tea at this table. What would you liketo eat with your tea? Draw below what you are going to eat.

! Here is a colourful holiday picnic table.

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Extend the picture up and draw the view you can seebeyond the gate. Step into this painting and tell a taleabout your adventure.

Imagine you can enter this painting.What can you hear? What can you smell?

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! Look at this portrait.

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At home dress up. Try wearing a hat, jewellery, and fancy clothesand look in a mirror. Draw or paint your own self-portrait.

Examine the way the lady is sitting and the clothes she iswearing. Where is she? Design a new background for her.

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! This painting has lots of colours and shapes in it.

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At home make a collage of a vase of flowers and some fruitusing coloured tissue paper.

Can you name four coloursand four shapes?

Which ones are usedthe most?

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Using this painting and ones nearby,design a pattern filled with shapes, stripes and flowers.

! This print shows boats coming in and out of Circular Quay.

Look carefully at how Margaret Preston has used marks to showripples in the water, leaves on the trees and windows on the buildings.

Extend the picture and draw some more buildings usingthe same technique.

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Imagine you are on one of the boats.Where are you going? Write a story about your voyage.

MARGARET PRESTON ART AND LIFE

ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES29 JULY – 23 OCTOBER 2005NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA12 NOVEMBER 2005 – 29 JANUARY 2006QUEENSLAND ART GALLERY18 FEBRUARY – 7 MAY 2006ART GALLERY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA26 MAY – 13 AUGUST 2006

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! Here is another view of Sydney Harbour.

Spot the differences in the way this oneis painted compared to Circular Quay.

Find these thingsand tick themas you find them:

A boatA boatshedA house with3 windowsin the roofA pathA telegraph poleStepsA balcony

At home make a picture of where you liveand the surrounding neighbourhood.

© Public Programmes Art Gallery of New South Wales 2005Based on the Children’s Trail concept from the Fundays at theGallery program sponsored by The Sunday Telegraph

ARTGALLERY

NSW

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There are lots of sweet things to smell and taste in this paintingand lots of interesting surfaces to imagine touching.

What tastes delicious?

What feels spikyand rough?

What might yousee your reflection in?

List them below.

! Let your senses explore this painting.

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Make a drawing ofsomething sweet to eator smell you could addto this painting.

! Margaret Preston lived here from 1932–1939.

Can you find her house?

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Imagine you are Margaret Preston.Write a letter to a friend describing your new house in Berowraand what you can see through the window.

Name the coloursshe has used tocreate this painting?

What time of year is it?

! We are at a country show.

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Have you ever been to a show?Write a poem about the fun things you did,or could do, if you stepped into this painting.

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List the activities you can see.

! Dive into the deep blue sea.

At home trace over the lines of the print and colour in usingdifferent colours. Create a beach scene on a cold, dark, winter’sday and another for a hot, sunny, summer’s day.

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Look at the lines Margaret Preston has used to showthe curve of the beach. Draw yourself on the beach.Add trees and houses to the scene.

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