Margery Pitt Withers (13 January 1890 – 1966) was an Australian artist.

Biography Born in England to Fanny Flinn and the Australian landscape artist Walter Withers, Margery was brought to Australia aged six months to live at the Charterisville estate in East Ivanhoe, Victoria. Her father worked as an art master at various schools in Melbourne including the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Ruyton Girls' School, the Melbourne Grammar School and Emma Bartlett Cook's Private Girls' School. Margery Withers studied art at the National Gallery School and the Working Men's College. At the National Gallery School, Withers won nine prizes and was awarded a special prize of £50 by the National Gallery Trustees for her picture The Letter.

Withers was engaged to fellow student, John (Jack) Martin Paterson, who dedicated a sketch of a kitten to her while a soldier during World War 1. He was killed in action at Villers-Bretonneux in August 1918. In 1927 Withers married Richard Matthew McCann, an artist and a founding member of Twenty Melbourne Painters.

Withers painted figures and landscapes in both oil and watercolours, and taught art at Swinburne College for several years, though as a married woman she was asked to resign in 1928 and reapply for a temporary position, without benefits. Her work has been described as "finding charm in every shadow and light under her brush."

She painted at Tawonga, Diamond Creek, and Heidelberg, and exhibited with the Victorian Artists Society and the Twenty Melbourne Painters Society. She also showed with artists such as Polly Hurry, Jo Sweatman, and A.M.E. Bale.

Withers has works in the collections of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum, the University of Western Australia and the State Library Victoria. Her portrait of her husband Richard McCann was shortlisted for the Archibald Prize in 1939.

Works

1910, Early Eltham looking towards Montmorency]Early Eltham looking towards Montmorency / Margery Withers search.slv.vic.gov.au ca. 1913–1922, Nude study of a young womanNude study of a young woman / Margery Withers search.slv.vic.gov.au ca. 1913–1922, A Warrandyte Farm, near Frank Crozier'sA Warrandyte farm - near Frank Crozier's / Margery Withers search.slv.vic.gov.au 1920, Kit Turner's Cottage, ElthamKit Turner's cottage, Eltham /Margery Withers search.slv.vic.gov.au 1920, Souter's College, ElthamSouter's College, Eltham search.slv.vic.gov.au 1920, Studley ParkStudley Park slv.vic.gov.au ca. 1920–1940, Christ Church, South YarraChrist Church, South Yarra slv.vic.gov.au 1924, Bridge and piersBridge and piers slv.vic.gov.au 1932, Yarra floods and North Balwyn from Ivanhoe-BoulevardYarra floods and North Balwyn from Ivanhoe-Boulevard slv.vic.gov.au 1935, Portrait of unidentified young womanPortrait of unidentified young woman slv.vic.gov.au 1945, Orchard country, North ElthamOrchard country, North Eltham slv.vic.gov.au

Exhibitions Walter and Margery Withers, Collins House, 1915 Walter and Margery Withers (watercolours), Athenaeum Hall, 1916 Solo exhibition, Athenaeum Gallery, 1919 The Baldwin Spencer Collection of Australian Pictures and Works of Art, Fine Art Society's Galleries (Melbourne), 1919The Baldwin Spencer Collection of Australian Pictures and Works of Art exhibition catalogue, 1919. Margery Withers: Art & Artist files, held in the National Gallery of Australia Research Library & Archive Collection. Twenty Melbourne Painters 3rd annual exhibition, Athenaeum Hall, 1921Twenty Melbourne Painters 3rd annual exhibition catalogue, 1921. Margery Withers: Art & Artist files, held in the National Gallery of Australia Research Library & Archive Collection. Group exhibition (Margery, Nancy & Meynell Withers), Athenaeum Hall, 1922 Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Hall, 1923 Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Hall, 1925 Twenty Melbourne Painters 8th annual exhibition, Athenaeum Gallery, 1926 Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Hall, 1927 Twenty Melbourne Painters 10th annual exhibition, Athenaeum Hall, 1928 Solo exhibition, Athenaeum Gallery, 1929 Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Gallery, 1929 Exhibition by Mr Ernest Buckmaster, Athenaeum Gallery, 1930 Solo exhibition, Athenaeum Gallery, 1932 Warrandyte Art Exhibition, Penleigh Boyd Studio, 1932 Rookwood Gallery opening, 1933 Heidelberg and District Art Exhibition, Ivanhoe Hall, 1934Heidelberg and District Art exhibition catalogue, 1934. Margery Withers: Art & Artist files, held in the National Gallery of Australia Research Library & Archive Collection. Twenty Melbourne Painters 16th annual exhibition, Athenaeum Gallery, 1934 Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Gallery, 1935 Twenty Melbourne Painters 18th annual exhibition, Athenaeum Gallery, 1936 Heidelberg "Inspiration of Landscape Art" exhibition, Heidelberg Town Hall, 1937 The Herald Exhibition of Outstanding Pictures of 1937, Athenaeum Gallery, 1938The Herald Exhibition of Outstanding Pictures of 1937 exhibition catalogue, 1938. Margery Withers: Art & Artist files, held in the National Gallery of Australia Research Library & Archive Collection. Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Gallery, 1938 Heidelberg 3rd art exhibition, Ivanhoe Town Hall, 1940 Launceston Art Society (Twenty Melbourne Painters), Queen Victoria Museum, 1943 Twenty Melbourne Painters 26th annual exhibition, Athenaeum Gallery, 1944 Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Gallery, 1945 Twenty Melbourne Painters, Athenaeum Gallery, 1947 Twenty Melbourne Painters 30th annual exhibition, Athenaeum Gallery, 1948Twenty Melbourne Painters 30th annual exhibition catalogue, 1948. Margery Withers: Art & Artist files, held in the National Gallery of Australia Research Library & Archive Collection.

Further reading Papers of Margery Withers, ca. 1900-1966 [manuscript], State Library Victoria Margery Withers: Australian art and artists file, State Library Victoria Margery Withers: Australian art and artists file, National Gallery of Australia

References