Margaret Walton got her first taste for Art when she was nine years old when she made a copy of a portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh at school.  Over the next 56 years Margaret taught herself how to paint and through it bring much pleasure to herself and others.

Margaret’s first painting of note was ‘Rhinoceros’  painted to provide some art work for her and Harry’s first home. As with all newly weds money was tight so Margaret’s talent was put to good use!  Once the flame had been lit she carried on, often painting presents for family and friends. One of her skills was copying the great artists and at one time Margaret came close to a great career in Art forgery!!

In 1968 Margaret entered ‘The People’’s housewives painting competition and from over 10,000 entrants came away with a highly commended award. She has exhibited her work at many forums and today is the longest standing member of the Maghull Art Group which was founded by Lydiate’s late Fred Wilde and based at Deyes High School.

Whilst developing her talent Margaret painted for friends and relatives as Christmas cards and birthday presents.  She painted portraits of friends and often copied works of art that they were fond of.  Her accuracy was so good that she could have developed a career in art forgery if she had put her mind to it.

Margaret chose oil paints as her medium and created her works whilst watching t.v.  Having the lounge as her studio was convenient but walking around the easel for days as the oil paint took time to dry became tiresome, a change was needed!  Margaret explored the medium of watercolour and found it perfect for the way she painted.

Her first watercolour was of Tiger Lilies from a bouquet she had received.  It was satisfying that as the flowers passed their best and died she was capturing them for ever in paint. But Margaret’s greatest satisfaction comes from the painting she made of her mother and daughters enjoying the happy family life they had.  These hold pride of place amongst a catalogue of treasures.

You can see some of these works on in our collection of some of Margaret’s paintings.

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 The Royal Academy attracted Margaret and with the encouragement of family and friends she sent in three of her paintings for their perusal. They were very well received and she made it through to the second round of the competition, but rather than go on Margaret took her work home and added it to the amazing collection she had on her walls.

 Commissions came to Margaret from many sources, not simply friends and family but also from businesses.  She has produced Christmas cards for St Helen’s Church in Sefton Village and is currently working on a painting of the church itself.  Through this she met Dr Philip Sims who recommended her to the Station Volunteers at Maghull Station where Margaret has produce her most well known works.

 The office building with its bricked in windows was in need of a make-over and Margret was asked if she could bring the ‘dead windows’ back to life.  Her first idea was to paint curtains and a vase of flowers in each recess but then another idea struck her.  She began to paint murals linked to the building, the town and the surrounding area instead.  Not many artists go about armed with a chisel but Margaret did.  She had to chisel away at the concrete window frames before she could find a surface suitable for her work.  Today these paintings delight and intrigue us as we try and work out some of the familiar faces amid the characters she has captured.

 Painting fulfils Margaret but although always working she also finds tome to tend her wonderful garden into a work of art of its own.  Her love of colour, shape and her eye for detail made the garden a great place to develop her creativity.  The sound of running water and the scents from her many plants make the garden a beautiful place to relax and re-charge.  You can see pictures of her garden on our slide show but be warned it made me very aware of my own poor efforts; so much so that Margaret turned up with a spade and a handful of plants to get me started.  I promised I’d try but doubt I’ll ever really get the gardening bug!

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Margaret also helps tend the borders and tubs around Maghull Station.  She can often be seen doing her bit, weeding, hoeing and planting along with the other members of the Maghull Station Volunteers.

Next time you travel by train take a closer look at Margaret’s work – it really is an inspiration to all of us.