Margaret Manchee, a Chartered Accountant, seamlessly blends her career in accounting with her passion for fine art. Originally hailing from Hong Kong, she relocated to Australia during the late 1980s. After achieving her degree in Fine Art from the University of Melbourne - Victorian College of the Arts in 2008, she has been a printmaking teacher at Melbourne's Firestation Print Studio.
Within her artistic endeavors, Margaret fully delves into copper etchings, mono-printing, paintings/collages, papier-mâché, and artist books. The recurring motif of the "circle" in her creations draws inspiration from her Indonesian and Chinese heritage. She articulates, "With all my work, I am driven by the creative inspiration just as much as I thrive on the production process. Thinking through making, my techniques continue to evolve because I need to challenge myself; by pushing my own boundaries as well as testing the potential and limitations of my medium and materials.”
Margaret's artistic journey has seen the spotlight in four solo exhibitions and participation in various group displays, international exchange initiatives, private collections, and esteemed museums such as NGV and NGA. Notably, she was featured in the 2021 Impact 11 International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking Conference. Her artistic achievements have been acknowledged through several awards, and she found herself shortlisted for the 2021 Northern Beaches Library Artist’s Book Award, Castlemaine 2021 Experimental Print Prize, Bluethumb Art Prize (Sculpture) 2022, and Burnie Print Prize 2023.
Among her notable works, Margaret's artist book "The Wheel" was acquired as an integral part of the Northern Beaches Library Artist’s Book collection in early 2023. Adding to her recent accomplishments, her papier-mâché bowls titled "U & I" were the first prize winner in the prestigious Castlemaine 2023 Experimental Print Prize. Her artist book "Reaching for the star" was the finalist in the Northern Beaches Library Artist's Book in 2025.
She is busy preparing for her upcoming exhibition at Sydney Contemporary Art 10-14 September 2025 in Carriageworks Sydney Australia.