This weekend, a 43-year-old tradition will continue with the Olympia Harbor Days festival, but it will be the first year for 90-year-old artist Margaret Roberts.
Margaret and her husband Perry relocated last fall from California to be near their family. However, they are not newcomers to the art scene. As I visit their home, I learn Margaret has been painting watercolors for more than 30 years. “People ask me how long have I painted. And I say, oh I always did want to since I was a little girl.”
Margaret was originally born in Chile to American agricultural farmers. She grew up with four other siblings and didn’t move to the United States until she was almost 19 to attend college. Although she took many art classes, Margaret tells me she knew she needed something else to focus on as well, so she chose elementary education.
Along the way she met her husband Perry, of 68 years now, and had two beautiful children. “I didn’t think I was going to have any children, but we got two, one of each kind.” Margaret taught grade school for many years and painted in her spare time on a daily basis, often for many hours. However, upon taking a class in the early 1980s, her eyes were opened to a new technique.
Margaret says she always had painted with acrylics on canvas, but when she took a course in watercolor she truly found her calling. The two painting styles are different in a number of ways. “For one thing it’s not as messy,” she says. “It is harder though because once it’s down it’s down.” You can’t just scrape off a layer of watercolor paint Margaret tells me and the details are much harder to depict. With watercolors you add the light colors first, then the dark. Acryclic painting is the opposite technique, with darker colors leading the way. It took a lot of practice and some getting used to for Margaret, but her results are absolutely breathtaking.
In 1989, Margaret and Perry retired and she was able to devote most of her time to doing what she loved, painting watercolors. “That was when I really dug in and painted and painted and painted. I was hoping to sell because they pile up on you, they really do. And we could use the money,” she says.
Margaret and Perry spent many weekends at festivals showcasing her art usually in the spring and fall, while meeting wonderful people along the way. When I ask about her husband’s role, she laughs and says he’s not artistic himself, but has always been supportive. “Always a very good husband that way. I’ve never even seen him draw a stick man though,” she says.
Now, in a new town, at the age of 90, Margaret is gathering her paintings and putting together her Olympia Harbor Days booth. “I decided I’ll give it a try. It kind of scares me – setting it up with gobs of people around and I don’t feel that strong.” Margaret suffers from back problems, due to an old injury, which make it difficult for her to walk. Along with back issues, she also has macular degeneration in her eyes, but neither ailments are stopping her yet. “I see funny, but I don’t see crooked. I told somebody if I start to see crooked I’ll have to do abstract-type paintings,” she says adding she’s glad she’s able to do what she loves at the age of 90.
Margaret still paints on a regular basis at home. Although she isn’t able to paint on location, like she prefers, Margaret uses photographs to do her watercolors now. “Sometimes I look at a painting and something is wrong with it and I don’t know quite what it is. So I put it away and the next day I know exactly what’s wrong.” She says she believes it’s that way with any form of art. “I used to think artists were strictly people that painted and all that. But now they call musicians artists, poets are artists, writers are artists because they are all creating.” Like Margaret says, “there’s just this need to do it”.
After asking what advice she would give to young artists just starting out, she had only this to say. “If I see that they have talent I say keep doing it. I asked an art teacher in college once how she got so good. She said, ‘you just do it and do it and do it.’”
As for Margaret Roberts, she’s still very much creating and the art world is a better place because of it. With her amazing landscapes, she draws you into her world and gives you a sense of peace.
You can find Margaret’s artwork at Olympia Harbor Days on Friday from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
The event is organized by the Olympia Kiwanis Club and is located on the water front at Percival Landing. The community will be able to enjoy tugboat races, entertainment, history, and food vendors, along with many different arts and craft booths.
