MArgo Garnett Biography

Margo Garnett

My style continues to expand to always show my love of art and nature. I enjoy working with watercolor, pencil or pen and ink. Many have said my style is photo realistic.

Born in Davenport, Iowa I had the opportunity to be exposed to many fine artists such as Grant Wood and Paul Norton. I began drawing at a young age. During family summer trips Dad and my brothers would fish while Mom would do her oil painting or needlework and I would draw.

I studied art at the Davenport Art Gallery in grade school and took art classes all the way through high school. My art was shown in special shows and fairs at an early age. At an early age my art received awards. I studied art at Marycrest College and took classes from Professor Ted Ramsey at the University of Iowa.

While in nursing school, one of my oil paintings was accepted for the Mid-Mississippi Valley Exhibition of Paintings and Graphics and Sculptures. This was my first juried show at the Quad City Art Gallery in Davenport, Iowa. It was a thrill to be showing with my high school art instructor James D. Conaway and my mentor Paul Norton. Paul was a well-known Quad-City artist in watercolor. While mentoring me, he encouraged me to continue to pursue my love of art.

I moved to Central Point, Oregon in 1979 with my family at which time I went on to finish my art education. I graduated from Oregon College of Art, having studied under Jack Ashcraft, Hal Maddox, Carl Seyboldt and Dick Walsh. I took private lessons in fine art from Hal Maddox.

I am known for both my fine art and commercial art. Upon graduation, M. Garnett Designs started, with original logo designs, ads, signs and commissioned art works, including a 4’x 8’ Stagecoach for Stage Western Clothing in Estes Park Colorado. Several stores in Estes Park, Colorado featured my western art, Bear Lake of Rocky Mountain National Park, Columbine, Chipmunk and Stagecoach. This was my start of professional cards and prints.

For many years I did freelance art for churches, hospitals, clinics and businesses, while also doing clinic nursing. My artwork has been in Iowa, Colorado and Oregon. I have enjoyed teaching basic drawing and painting.

Nearly everyone who lives in Oregon loves nature. My family has enjoyed the mountains and the ocean. We have traveled the back roads and always took time to stop and identify flowers, birds and animals. Often I would draw while the family fished or hiked.

After challenging myself, I studied the Oregon historical lighthouses and drew them. The lighthouse drawings are done with pen/pencil. I include on the back of the cards the names and a bit of history. Some of the lighthouses I have taken into watercolor or mixed media.

A few years ago I wrote a book for my five grandchildren with my artwork in it. It was a story of “Grandma’s Special Painting.” The grandchildren would sit and color on a table near my hanging painting. They asked why I painted a girl and boy sharing a box, then I would start the story and soon they would imagine what they would put in the box.

I actively show my work as a member of the Art du Jour Gallery in Medford, Oregon. I can be reached via email at margo@mgarnettdesigns.com