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Contact Margaret Hadfield
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“It is only paint, loosen up” are just two of the sayings my students now throw back to me. We have a laugh and enjoy our few hours painting together. They learn from me and I learn from them. It is magical to know that I empower them to get in touch with their creative flair and enjoy the simple pleasure of expression through painting’. Margaret Hadfield-Zorgdrager.
Margaret Hadfield –Zorgdrager was born in Coonabarabran, New South Wales in 1956. Her parents Pieter and Tryntje migrated to Australia in 1951 from the island of Terschelling, the Netherlands. From a very early age she knew art was her essence, and sold her first painting at age 13. Margaret perfected her craft through self-development and was inspired by nature’s beauty. Light flows through her seascapes/landscapes; very large murals and portraiture. Margaret has held several successful solo exhibitions, including one in the Netherlands.
For the last 32 years she has been a resident artist in the Canberra region, firstly as the co-founder of the Artist’s Shed, and now her own gallery called the ARTISTS SHED in Fyshwick. Margaret paints in all mediums and her landscapes, portraits have featured in numerous art awards, including the Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize, Paddington Art Prize, Peter Norville Art Prize, Country Energy Art Prize, Portia Geach Portrait Prize and Shirley Hannan Portrait Prize.
In 2013 Helen Reddy, Natasha Stott Despoja, Geraldine Cox, Prof. Fiona Wood, Matilda House-Williams and Lauren Jackson, each ‘sat’ for portraits which Margaret painted.
Margaret has won the Gallipoli Art Prize and her Gallipoli Series number 24 military themed paintings commemorating the service and sacrifice of Australian service personnel. Six of these were exhibited by the Australian Government between 2010 and 2012 in the Netherlands, Turkey and France. This series will be exhibited widely over the ensuing years, commencing with a solo exhibition in the Griffith Regional Gallery, NSW, in April, May 2015, followed by a solo exhibition in “The Q”, Queanbeyan, NSW in June 2015, and then on to Singleton Library, NSW, and then Corowa Art Gallery.
In 2014 Margaret’s painting of the 2013 Royal Australian Navy (RAN) fleet entry was purchased by the National Maritime Museum, Sydney, and her painting of HMAS Perth now hangs onboard the warship. In 2014 Margaret was special guest of the RAN when her painting of the submarine AE1 was used by the media and official ceremonies in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.
Margaret Hadfield’s unique teaching style has developed from this vast experience and her knowledge of visual artist supplies. Her highly successful four x 2.5 hour class “Absolute Beginners Course” has enabled many to develop their own artistic pastimes and careers. This course instructs colour mixing, brush and palette knife techniques and the development of individual styles. This enables those who wish to join Margaret’s popular regular day and evening classes for artists of all abilities, purely recreational or otherwise. Margaret’s classes are open to adults and high school students.
I was given this class through a gift voucher and I found it to be an enlightening and engaging experience.
Margaret was encouraging and direct, providing excellent instruction in the technical detail of painting.
Lessons began with colour mixing, to learn to make any colour shade from the basic colours, with the following weeks focusing on water colour, oil painting techniques, and drawing in perspective.
Margaret provided access to high quality materials, which provided an excellent platform to learn.
I ultimately found the class to provide excellent value across ten hours of instruction and would recommend it to anyone curious about painting. It turns out to be easier than you might expect and deeply enjoyable.
Laura Eason•
Apr 2024
I revived this course as a birthday present and had never heard of Margaret or the artists shed before starting!
What a fabulous introduction to painting. We covered a lot and I also walked away with some lovely art pieces that have inspired me to keep painting/drawing.
Will definitely be doing more classes with Margaret in the future :)
Thanks so much for a great four weeks
Laura
Katherine Stanley•
Apr 2024
Great class. I learnt a lot and had fun at the same time. Thanks Margaret
Samantha Scott•
Mar 2024
Excellent teaching thank you Margaret; well nourished by Kate; fantastic venue. I learned how to use different artistic mediums - oils, watercolour, pastels. I had fun, met wonderful people.
I was inspired to create at home.
It was too short. I want more…I’ll be back.
Teacher's
response
Thankyou Sam. Yes well nourished for sure. Its was a fun group and eager.
Toby Halligan•
Feb 2024
Margaret is a wonderful teacher - very knowledgeable and the whole class has a great energy.
The facilities are great - there’s a gallery connected to the training rooms. There’s plenty of space and everything is always well laid out. Excellent equipment and high quality paints.
I felt like I a lot in only three lessons and also had a good sense of how much I had to learn.
Above all there’s a good atmosphere and a friendly vibe in the classes.
Teacher's
response
Thanks very much TobyI enjoyed your imput and interest in the classes. You are a pleasure to teach!
Kar Chiu•
Dec 2023
We went for an end of year work function and my team absolutely loved it!
Margaret was a great teacher who was very funny, especially against Bob Ross - my team loved those quips.
The venue was easy to get to and was in a relaxed envirnment that made painting in the area quite comfortable and very well airconditiontioned for summer.
We painted on canvas with acrylic paints and compared our seascapes. We all had a great team event and was able to bring something back with us to hang on our own respective walls. Even the ones that professed no artistic skills were able to follow the class and end up with something really good.
The drinks that were supplied were good - bubblies and soft drinks - they were a nice addition to the class.
Thanks very much Margaret, you made our end of year function really fun.
Teacher's
response
Wow, what a lovely review Kar.I am so pleased that you all enjoyed the class,as we did too(Tanya and I)! We love to have a bit of fun with you! Thankyou for taking the time to give a review.
Patricia Pullen•
Dec 2023
Good to get a variety of materials and styles of art. Good basic techniques. We took home completed art works.
Margaret is a fantastic teacher, really engaging and friendly. It is awesome being taught by such an accomplished artist. Highly recommend.
Sandy Harris•
Nov 2023
The whole process was explained thoroughly and it didn’t matter that I was such a novice ! The instructor kept it simple but I walked away with a better understanding of proportion/prospective which I will now apply in my drawings. The workspace made me feel like an artist ~ which added to the experience. I highly recommend
Sharon Levinge•
Nov 2023
Loved this course! Informative and relaxed and accessible for all levels of ability and experience. Great introduction to different mediums and having materials provided and set up was a huge time and money saver. Margaret’s teaching style is very down to earth and she’s very generous in sharing her vast experience as an artist.
Definitely recommend!
Peggy Gould•
Oct 2023
2 ClassBento workshops attended
Our teacher was great, friendley and approchable.
The venue was just right for us comfortable lovely
atmosphere.
All materials were provided and of good quality.
We did a colour chart and learnt with 3 primaries you can do every colour
Margarite spoke to the class with great knowledge.
Jason Kneipp•
Aug 2023
We recently held a team paining session with Margaret and could not have been happier with how the session went. Margaret and her team were extremely helpful and shared their knowledge and tips with us as we worked on our paintings. It was a positive, supportive and friendly atmosphere from start to finish. We well and truly received our monies worth as all supplies were provided in the session cost and the team was happy to dish out extra paint to those in need. I cannot recommend Margaret highly enough. The team are already recommending her to other areas of our organisation.
Louise Zaja•
Jul 2023
Fantastic overview for a newbie to art. Loved every single bit of it and will definitely continue on. Thank you Margaret you are a fantastic teacher and I so look forward to many more lessons from you
Teacher's
response
Thankyou for your lovely comment Louise. So pleased you enjoyed the classes and gave it a go !
Corinne Baker•
May 2023
Margaret and Tanya made our friends hens night so fun and enjoyable. Everyone had a great experience being guided but still having fun at the same time in her studio. Although Margaret did make it look very easy!
Margaret was also very responsive to questions in the lead up and everything was very organised and easy.
Will definitely be going back and would recommend to anyone who wants to enjoy a fun painting session with talented guidance.
Meg Ryan•
Feb 2023
Incredible experience! Margaret was so generous with her expertise as she gently guided us beginners through different techniques and mediums each week. Such a calming and wonderful few hours, with amazing people each weekend. Definitely the highlight of my week! Thanks to Jo as well, for always being so welcoming and making our class coffees every weekend. :)
Tess Kolaric•
Feb 2023
2 ClassBento workshops attended
We really enjoyed this class. Great instruction from the teacher at an appropriate level for beginners and delivered in an approachable and greatly manner.
Would definitely recommend this class!
I enjoyed this class. The venue and equipment were great. Margaret was fun and I appreciated her focus on everyone leaving with a painting they're proud of.
Nicole McAlonan•
Jan 2023
A fantastic course, regardless of your level of expertise. I am very much a beginner and there were several in my class with a lot more experience. I love that Margaret instructs in watercolour, oils and pastels, teaching how to paint something that you would be proud to hang on your wall. This is more than a Pinot and Painting session. She has high expectations for her class and they rise to meet them.
My submitted photograph probably does not do Margaret a lot of favours until you take into account that this is the first time I have ever done anything like this. Perspective in pastels. It was only as Margaret sprayed the fixative that I falsified how I could have improved it and made the perspective work better. I guess I learned something.
My intention is to use what I have been taught, play around, experiment, and then go back to the Art Shed and learn some more. I wish I had learned this years ago.
Ethan Rozanic•
Jan 2023
Had a great night full of fun! Would highly recommend, Margaret is extremely helpful and talented :)
Zee Balkan-Brown•
Nov 2022
Margaret is amazing! She’s very patient with people like me and who are absolutely hopeless with painting. Great venue and great value. Loved it and would definitely do it again.
Daniel Josifovski•
Jul 2022
Great communicator - engaging session, and thoroughly enjoyed!
Thank you Margaret - great job, we appreciate your time.
Lauren Jameson•
Mar 2022
Margaret expertly guided us through a painting lesson and via her we were all very happy with our attempts! She also made the class very fun. A very enjoyable night, 100% would do again.
Sarah Gillespie•
May 2021
3 ClassBento workshops attended
Amazing night. Learnt a lot about water colours, can't say I'm the best but thoroughly enoughed the class. Thank you for you time, definitely will be back.
Jaime Still•
May 2021
2 ClassBento workshops attended
Margaret was AMAZING Patient, great explanations and so talented.
Thanks Margaret, thoroughly enjoyed the night.
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