Margaret Frew - Artist and Ceramicist

Margaret Eunice Frew (nee Simms) was born at the Highbury Vale Hospital Basford in Nottingham in the United Kingdom on the 18th of May 1940 to an artist mother and a motor mechanic father, Gwen and Eric Simms. He was abroad when she was born and she did not meet him until she was five years old and at school. Margaret came to Australia as a 17-year-old in 1957. She completed an Art Diploma course from 1978 to 1984 at Rossmoyne TAFE majoring in art history, design, painting and pottery. She discontinued oil painting, as she was allergic to the fumes from the oils and turpentine, switched to watercolours and pen and ink washes and has now focused on ceramics. She had a joint exhibition at Atwell House with her husband John Frew in 1982 and has been a member of the South of The River Potters, the Perth Potters Group, Canning Arts Group, Whiteman Park Potters and The Pothole. In 1988, she moved to Chidlow’s Well and set up the Village Potters Club which is still active today and was in several exhibitions with other potters between 1990 and 2003. Her mother did not give up pottery until she was 90 years old and nearly blind, and Margaret plans to still be potting at the same age. Her work is held in many private collections, including the Fairview Art Collection in Subiaco, Perth.