The painter, watercolorist, illustrator, and woodblock printer, Margaret Patterson was born in Soerabaija, Java, the daughter of a Maine sea captain, who inspired in her the love of travel that she retained throughout her life.

She grew up in the Boston area and trained at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, under Arthur Wesley Dow. In Paris, she studied with the Spanish painter Claudio Castellucho. In Boston, she received instruction from Charles Woodbury.

Throughout her mature career, Patterson was based in Boston, where she taught and was an active member of the local art scene, but she traveled abroad often, painting in Holland, Normandy, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and France. Her style consisted of a delicate and precise handling that she used to portray a range of landscape subjects, including coastal, harbor, and garden scenes. From 1929 until her death, she focused on flowers. In color woodblock prints and watercolors, she explored the vibrant and coloristic properties of the floral subject. She was also acclaimed for her graphic work.

Biography courtesy of Roughton Galleries, www.antiquesandfineart.com/roughton