Light, and the abstract shadows, shapes and reflections that it can impart on objects or surfaces, is the unifying theme that runs through the work in Marjorie Collins’ retrospective exhibition. Although she started out painting people and places, today Marjorie is better known for her colourful contemporary watercolours of still lifes and florals often painting objects larger than life. Marjorie still paints urban scenes, many from unusual angles to create abstract shapes but with the resulting image still representational.

About the Artist
Marjorie grew up in Chicago and trained at the University of Michigan where she gained a Bachelor’s degree in Design, followed by part time graduate courses at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. It was in Chicago that her interest in how light falls on buildings led to the style that characterises her work. She moved to Oxford in 1975 and this exhibition follows the refinement of that technique. She has exhibited widely and her work can be found in a number of corporate and private collections both in the UK and the US. Images of her work have appeared in a number of art publications and on the artuk.org website. Marjorie is a Member of the Society of Women Artists, the Society of Botanical Artists and the Oxford Art Society.

This exhibition represents a selection of the paintings Marjorie has completed since moving to Oxford from Chicago in 1975 until the present. During this time she has exhibited her paintings widely in galleries in solo and group shows both in the United States and in England – where her work can be found in corporate, private and public collections. Open exhibitions include The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Sunday Times Watercolour Competition, Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours and the Royal Watercolour Society. Among the many prizes her work has received are:

-Winsor and Newton Grand Award – Celebration 2000 Competition (Artist Magazine)
-Runner Up St Cuthbert’s Mill Award – Society of Botanical Artists Competition 2007
-Daler Rowney Purchase Prize – Society of Women Artists 2008
-Finalist Flowers and Garden Competition – International Artist Magazine 2009
-Winsor and Newton First Prize – Royal Watercolour Society 2011
-Daniel Smith Excellence in Colour Award – Society of Women Artists 2011
-Shortlisted Artist of the Year Award – Artist and Illustrator Magazine 2013, 2014
-Shortlisted Artist – Jacksons Open Art Prize 2018
-St Cuthbert’s Paper Mill Award – Society of Women Artists 2018
-Winner – Artist Magazine’s 90th Anniversary Challenge (to paint a city scene)
-Highly Commended – The Artist and Leisure Painter Open Art Competition
-Faso Boldbrush Merchandise Award – Women in Watercolour (US Int. Juried Competition 2022)
-Derwent Special Fine Art Award
-Established Artist Award – Society of Women’s Artists Exhibition 2022
-Finalist – Broadway Arts Festival Open Art Competition
-Entry selected – Publicity of Broadway Arts Festival June 2023
-Guest Selector’s Prize – Oxford Art Society Member’s Exhibition 2023

Exhibition opening: Thursday 24 April 6 – 8pm
Please join us to celebrate the opening of the exhibition. Free entry / No booking required

Special Sunday opening: Sunday 11 May 12 – 4pm
Please join the artist in the gallery from 2 – 4pm. Free entry / No booking required

General venue opening hours: Mon – Sat 10am – 4pm
Closed: Sun and Bank Holidays

Free