Dear Creative Soul,

I'm Margaret McKenzie, the owner and host of Expressive Arts at The Silver Bowerbird Gallery and Studio.



I am a therapeutic arts practitioner, writer, and educator facilitating expressive arts workshops, community Pop-Up art events and art shows. 

Creating bold intuitive art gives me expression of emotion: it’s inspired by nature, especially the amazing seashore, discovered in whimsical pieces, immersed in abstract expressionism, or environmental assemblages made from litter found on the beach and garden fairy doors with a seaside flavour!

A deep reverence for the environment has compelled me to use found media wherever possible in my artwork and has led to a type of metaphoric "Net Painting" which seeks to capture the essence of joy, journey, and spirit in a mixed media form.



With a greater focus on therapeutic art practice, I will be taking on individual clients. Processing painful memories through multi-model therapies can help in the healing journey. Art is one of the modes in which "when words are not enough, art can speak for you". Emotions like sadness, anger, frustration can be transformed into helping strategies which build resilience, confidence and ways to a more joyful life. 

About the Gallery

Silver Bower Bird Gallery was opened in 2016 to celebrate the life and artwork of my late partner Jim Morris. Since then the Gallery has hosted a variety of events and exhibitions in support of local art initiatives and creative groups. The permanent collection of Jim's silkscreen prints, paintings and carvings is joined by works by other local artists. 

Ian McKenzie

The sauna buckets below are made by my brother, Ian McKenzie’s, woodworking. There are some Mason Bee houses in the picture too. His website is www.woodbuckets.com We usually have a selection of a few at the gallery.