May 2026

With the announcement of the 2026 Archibald Prize winner, it is timely to look at Margaret Woodward’s entries to the highly coveted prize. Her first submission to the Archibald was in 1970 with the work Self-portrait with Britt, a painting that explores her relationship with her young daughter. It was the first of seven short-listed entries in total over fourteen years for Margaret, yet her hard work was never rewarded with the Archibald. She did, however, have success with the Wynne Prize in 1971, matched by her inclusion in several prestigious group exhibitions and one woman shows at both the Holdsworth Galleries in Sydney and the Greenhill Galleries in Adelaide – and success twice with the Portia Geach Memorial Award …