Overview

Margaret grew up in the town of Todmorden, West Yorkshire. Her childhood was heavily influenced by the wide-open spaces of the moorlands; oppressively soot stained, sand stone granite on the steep craggy slopes of the Calder Valley. Whilst studying an Art Foundation Course at Percival Whitley College, Halifax, she met David Knight whom she later married after completing her Fine Art Degree at Bristol Polytechnic in 1987.

Whilst living and working in the Yorkshire Dales, the conservation of the peat moorlands and fens became an underlying purpose to her work. Responding to the rich surfaces, textures and relationships between the immense ranges of living layers amongst the hard structures of the rigid limestone. With thought and time, the modest, immense sensitivity and dexterity of charcoal and graphite on paper, allowed her to communicate the importance for conserving these special places. 

In 2015 she had an Arts Council supported exhibition ‘Mor’ which toured to Dean Clough, Halifax, West Yorkshire, Gallery Oldham, Lancashire and Gavagan Art, Settle, North Yorkshire. Margaret gained permission from the Ted Hughes estate to use sections from his poem ‘Grouse-Butts’ from the ‘Remains of Elmet’, and structured ‘Mor’ to echo the sentiment and phrases of this poem written in 1978, which are still relevant today.

70% of the worlds upland peat moors are in the UK. Since the early 1900’s, these unique and valuable habitats have been suffering from farmland demands, overgrazing, moor gripping (drainage) fertilising and industrial pollution. In England only 4% of uplands remain in good ecological condition. Restoration and conservation will ensure they continue to provide essential ecosystems services, such as clean drinking water, carbon sinks to help combat climate change, prevent lower level flooding in towns and villages, and provide homes for nature.

David and Margaret began to visit the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides when Margaret was researching for the ‘Mor’ exhibition. Looking at how different communities respond to the moorlands and what peat means to their communities. In England it is illegal to farm peat whereas in Scotland and Ireland it is still used for fuel and flavoring the hops for certain whisky distilleries. Without the heat that peat has provided for generations and the heather providing roofing shelter for homes, remote communities would have struggled to develop and sustain.

Cruinneachadh Hulabhaig

Artwork aquired for the Hulabhaig Collection of Island Contemporaray Art

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