I do not remember when I met Margaret. It was in 2019 or 2020. She was heavily involved with The Fraser Gallery in Tatamagouche, NS, where the Pugwash Artist Collective had shows every couple of years. She was instrumental in establishing a gift shop at the entrance to the gallery space, utterly transforming the feel of the building. Around that same time, she also volunteered to help behind the scenes at the Writing on Fire Youth Creative Retreat at the Thinkers Lodge in Pugwash, for which we, the organizers, Rita, Helen and I, were forever grateful.
I do remember the day she contacted me about the possibility of her joining our artist collective, which numbered about nine at the time. She said she wanted to have more interactions with other artists in the area, to be in an creative environment where discussions, sharing of information and ideas, and collaborations were a possibility.
I do know how much Margaret’s vision and perceptions impacted the dynamics of that group of women. It might have had something to do with her gentle but informed approach. Her kindness. Or her genuine interest in the lives and works of her fellow artists. She was one of those people who magically reflect light. A luminosity that others are drawn to, perhaps seeing themselves reflected in her. A good friend.
It has been inspiring to watch a gifted fibre artist like Margaret challenge herself by transitioning to painting in acrylics and exploring abstraction. With her sudden passing we are left wondering what she would have created next. Because she wasn’t in any way finished.
You will be greatly missed Margaret Boyle.
