Artist Info
Margaret Arnett
Raised in the farming town of Viking, Alberta, painter Peggy Arnett earned her Nursing Diploma through Red Deer College and the University of Alberta (1995) before receiving her BFA with Distinction at the University of Calgary (1998). She furthered her art education through a figure painting course at Red Deer College (1999), and through the Emma Lake Artists Workshop (1999). She achieved two awards: a Louise McKinney Post-Secondary Scholarship (1994), and a Student Achiever Award from Red Deer College (1994).
In 2000, Arnett completed three murals for the recreation centre in Viking, including one entitled From the Hockey Net to the Internet. Although she conceded that she has little interest in hockey—despite The Sporting News labelling her hometown as Canada’s “No. 2 hockey town”—Arnett says she was delighted to depict Viking’s sporting culture. She told the Edmonton Sun, “I’m definitely interested in human nature, and [Viking hockey players’] commitment, intensity, and love of the game is so wonderful.” Viking’s then-mayor said, “She’s done a tremendous job in capturing our hockey heritage.”
Describing her art, Arnett says that it “primarily focuses on relationships of light, colour, perspective, and the application of paint.” Although she is fascinated with 19th century painting styles, she also gathers inspiration from earlier artists such as Velasquez and Rembrandt.
Arnett’s participation in exhibitions includes her BFA Graduation Show and Six Weeks in January (Little Gallery), both at the University of Calgary. The U of C also houses two of her paintings.
