Annually, the Door County Art League has the distinct pleasure of naming the Door County Master Artist. At the
Sunday, June 14th, opening of the League’s 23rd Annual Juried Exhibit at the Link Gallery in Fish Creek, the very
well-known and well-respected painter, Margaret Lockwood was presented the 2009 award. Margaret owns
Woodwalk Gallery, which contains her straw-bale studio, in a beautiful 1890s revitalized Door County barn on
County G in Egg Harbor.
The selection of Door County Master Artist is a wonderful but daunting task. To choose those persons who are to
be so designated and inducted into a group, the likes of whom include Ed Fenendael, Gerhard Miller, Phil Austin,
Jack Anderson, Abe Cohn, Isabel Beaudoin, and Franne Dickinson, is a tremendous job. The committee that
screens these talented people has parameters that were set by the League’s Board of Directors many years ago.
The Master Artist must have publicly recognized talents, a body of work representing a high level of achievement
in his or her field, and must have contributed significantly to the arts in Door County through community
involvement, teaching, and/or promoting the arts. Exhibit Chairperson JoAnne Rosenfeld says, “Margaret’s
choice as the 2009 Door County Master embodies what defines the best of Door County art. This year the
committee consisted of Karen DeNoto, David Franke, Penny Pfister, Jeanne Whildin, and myself, who are thrilled
and honored to make this selection.”
Margaret, who says she loved art classes in high school, paints large atmospheric abstracted oil landscapes and is
inspired by the beauty of the peninsula. She is moved by the subtle transitions as morning turns to day, then
evening, or a cloudy day suddenly clears; and one painting may lead into another. She likes the fact that oil gives
her the chance to work and change and rework.
Margaret minored in drawing at Miami of Ohio University and received a degree in sociology. She was a social
worker for three years, specializing in adoptions and foster care. When her first child was a year old, Margaret
began an intense three-year study of tapestry weaving. She had a successful career of gallery exhibits and
commercial and residential commissions for twelve years. Deciding that she wanted her tapestries to be paintings,
Margaret returned to school and received an MFA in painting from Fontbonne University in St. Louis.
Raising three children in conjunction with her weaving career was followed by ten years of painting and
professional floral design. Margaret opened Woodwalk Gallery in Juddville in 1994, and since then has been
painting and running her gallery. She was also artistic director at Peninsula Art School from 1996 – 1999. Her
husband Allin Walker was director.
Other than her own Woodwalk Gallery, Margaret has exhibited at several venues in Door County. The last few
years have seen a solo exhibit, “Painted Spaces,” at the Fairfield Museum, the Guenzel Gallery’s “One Tree”
exhibit, the Miller Art Museum’s drawing invitational, and exhibits at the Hardy Center for the Arts, as well as the
upcoming “Collectors’ Choice.”
Margaret, who says she has been influenced by many great painters, including the great Claude Monet, is
passionate about her painting and is always challenged, wanting more from her work. When notified by JoAnne
that she was this year’s selection, Margaret said, “I am extremely honored to be chosen Door County Master Artist
of 2009, though I can’t really call myself a ‘master.’ I am extremely humbled to be included with the impressive
and talented list of artists who came before me. I know how lucky I am to live in such a thriving arts community
and am continually inspired by all of my fellow Door County artists. Thank you for this unexpected honor.”
When asked what kind of canvas or special materials she uses and what steps she takes before beginning a project,
Margaret answered, “Nothing special, and I just start!” She says in her Artist Statement, “My paintings are about
noticing and caring. They sometimes begin with looking at the surrounding landscape, but more often they just
begin. No matter how they are started, the real work comes in the doing, while I am in the middle of it all, with the
canvas covered and the spiritual nature of the work taking form.”
Four of Margaret’s atmospheric paintings can be seen at the Link Gallery, along with the Master’s plaque that has
her name added to all the previous Masters.
Sunday, June 14th, opening of the League’s 23rd Annual Juried Exhibit at the Link Gallery in Fish Creek, the very
well-known and well-respected painter, Margaret Lockwood was presented the 2009 award. Margaret owns
Woodwalk Gallery, which contains her straw-bale studio, in a beautiful 1890s revitalized Door County barn on
County G in Egg Harbor.
The selection of Door County Master Artist is a wonderful but daunting task. To choose those persons who are to
be so designated and inducted into a group, the likes of whom include Ed Fenendael, Gerhard Miller, Phil Austin,
Jack Anderson, Abe Cohn, Isabel Beaudoin, and Franne Dickinson, is a tremendous job. The committee that
screens these talented people has parameters that were set by the League’s Board of Directors many years ago.
The Master Artist must have publicly recognized talents, a body of work representing a high level of achievement
in his or her field, and must have contributed significantly to the arts in Door County through community
involvement, teaching, and/or promoting the arts. Exhibit Chairperson JoAnne Rosenfeld says, “Margaret’s
choice as the 2009 Door County Master embodies what defines the best of Door County art. This year the
committee consisted of Karen DeNoto, David Franke, Penny Pfister, Jeanne Whildin, and myself, who are thrilled
and honored to make this selection.”
Margaret, who says she loved art classes in high school, paints large atmospheric abstracted oil landscapes and is
inspired by the beauty of the peninsula. She is moved by the subtle transitions as morning turns to day, then
evening, or a cloudy day suddenly clears; and one painting may lead into another. She likes the fact that oil gives
her the chance to work and change and rework.
Margaret minored in drawing at Miami of Ohio University and received a degree in sociology. She was a social
worker for three years, specializing in adoptions and foster care. When her first child was a year old, Margaret
began an intense three-year study of tapestry weaving. She had a successful career of gallery exhibits and
commercial and residential commissions for twelve years. Deciding that she wanted her tapestries to be paintings,
Margaret returned to school and received an MFA in painting from Fontbonne University in St. Louis.
Raising three children in conjunction with her weaving career was followed by ten years of painting and
professional floral design. Margaret opened Woodwalk Gallery in Juddville in 1994, and since then has been
painting and running her gallery. She was also artistic director at Peninsula Art School from 1996 – 1999. Her
husband Allin Walker was director.
Other than her own Woodwalk Gallery, Margaret has exhibited at several venues in Door County. The last few
years have seen a solo exhibit, “Painted Spaces,” at the Fairfield Museum, the Guenzel Gallery’s “One Tree”
exhibit, the Miller Art Museum’s drawing invitational, and exhibits at the Hardy Center for the Arts, as well as the
upcoming “Collectors’ Choice.”
Margaret, who says she has been influenced by many great painters, including the great Claude Monet, is
passionate about her painting and is always challenged, wanting more from her work. When notified by JoAnne
that she was this year’s selection, Margaret said, “I am extremely honored to be chosen Door County Master Artist
of 2009, though I can’t really call myself a ‘master.’ I am extremely humbled to be included with the impressive
and talented list of artists who came before me. I know how lucky I am to live in such a thriving arts community
and am continually inspired by all of my fellow Door County artists. Thank you for this unexpected honor.”
When asked what kind of canvas or special materials she uses and what steps she takes before beginning a project,
Margaret answered, “Nothing special, and I just start!” She says in her Artist Statement, “My paintings are about
noticing and caring. They sometimes begin with looking at the surrounding landscape, but more often they just
begin. No matter how they are started, the real work comes in the doing, while I am in the middle of it all, with the
canvas covered and the spiritual nature of the work taking form.”
Four of Margaret’s atmospheric paintings can be seen at the Link Gallery, along with the Master’s plaque that has
her name added to all the previous Masters.
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