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Peggy North (Born Margaret Helene North) 3 June 1931- 23 January 2019 South African artist, art teacher, anti-apartheid activist.

CONTENTS

Early life

Career

References

Early life

Peggy was an only child of Herbert and Florence North and spent her childhood on a farm in the Cango valley of Oudtshoorn, South Africa. She completed school early after starting as a boarder from age 5 (St Winifreds in George, and Wynberg Girls High school in Cape Town.) She then studied art at Michaelis School of Fine Art in Cape Town. Aged 19 in 1951 she travelled to Scotland, Edinburgh to study art at the university there. Peggy stayed at the Victoria League student accommodation [|Victoria_League_for_commonwealth_friendship] During this time she explored Europe on bicycle and on a small yacht called Penguin, visited many art exhibitions, and painted the scenery, only returning because her funds were depleted. Sadly in her diary from that time, she wrote that she lost her entire portfolio, which she had left behind on a train before her return to South Africa. She was still signing her paintings as M North or Margaret North, at the time.

Career

Art teacher at Pinelands Junior School in Cape Town She married Immel Botha in 1957, and continued painting portraits, landscapes, still life and life drawing, in oils, watercolours, charcoal as well as creating ceramic sculptures of nude life studies. She also held regular life drawing classes and art classes, for most of her career.

After buying a neglected building on the mountainside above Kalk Bay harbour in Cape Town, 1970, Peggy was inspired by the fishing community and the beauty of the area, producing thousands of artworks during the 50 years she lived there. Peggy was also involved in establishing and volunteering for the local Kalk Bay feeding scheme and night shelter for the homeless people.

Peggy and Immel divorced in 1976. 2 years later she married John Moyle a lecturer in History of Architecture at University of Cape Town. She became involved in anti apartheid activism, hosting meetings or hiding people who were wanted by the apartheid security police. One of these people was Charles Nqakula https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Nqakula after he returned to SA as a commander of ‘Operation Vula’

Peggy was an active member of the organization the Black Sash. (1) [] Peggy North obituary: Obituary for Peggy North, by Black Sash

Exhibitions

Various Kalk Bay exhibitions The Water Colour Gallery, Main rd Kalk bay December 1975 Crossroads Art Statement, Baxter theatre. The Arts theatre 1979

The Harbour Gallery, Kalk Bay opened by Dr Frederick Van Zyl Slabbert 1981 (reference: Cape Times Dec 3, 1981 Kalk Bay, ‘Peggy’s Painting Paradise’

Kalk Bay Kaleidoscope 5 December 1981 Weekend Argus “when I came to Kalk Bay to live, I experienced it as an artist’s paradise. The atmosphere was intriguing. Slowly however, something else emerged, something far more important. I started to see it as a mixed community in the true sense of the word and it is this perception that has inspired my most recent work... It's the dignity of the people I’ve tried to capture in my work. The peace and joy of the place, the sense of belonging..” Peggy North

Kirstenbosch Gardens: False Bay in Watercolour 1985 opened by John Scott (False Bay news 30 January 1985) Studies of locals in landscapes from Boulders to Muizenberg, also featuring Kalk bay and Springtime in the Cape Binnehof- Vineyard hotel June 1986

The Lutge gallery- exhibition opened by Charles Nqakula September 1995 a tangible record of long and tragic battle of Noordhoek squatters finally granted a place they could call home’ Ref: Cape times September 19 1995 ‘Portrait of a community’s woes and triumphs’ “After the Noordhoek squatters were granted Masiphumelele in 1992 after a protracted court battle, Peggy said, “ the plight of the squatters had moved me so deeply and affected my life so much, that for a long time I was unable to paint at all. Now I can devote the rest of my life to painting”

`Kirstenbosch Exhibition Hall, Kirstenbosch Gardens 2005 Watercolour Paintings of our Mountains and Fynbos

References: 1)obituary:https://www.blacksash.org.za/index.php/our-legacy/616-peggy-north-d-2019?fbclid=IwAR2JBV823SSQANB2tj6uf8K90pzpVDv7YEvYCAnG-JYdahKKZU22UHpiW1w 2)Cape Times Dec 3, 1981 Kalk Bay, ‘Peggy’s Painting Paradise’ 3)Weekend Argus Weekend Argus Kalk Bay Kaleidoscope 5 December 1981 4)Cape times September 19 1995 ‘Portrait of a community’s woes and triumphs’ 5)Exhibition book of signatures and comments of visitors from 1975 to 2005 6)Her personal student diaries