American 1902-1997

Gods of the Sun Dogs c. 1960
Tempera on plywood
65.2 x 156.7
University of Victoria Acquisition Fund

Margaret Peterson sought to go beyond a Western understanding of art as decorative by using abstraction to unveil the basic elements of existence. Her unique artistic vision was inspired by her affinity for art of Indigenous peoples, which she interpreted through spiritual philosophy. She was an influential Visual Art professor at the University of California Berkley, but resigned in 1950, refusing to sign a loyalty oath stating that she was not a member of the communist party. She moved with her husband, Canadian author Howard O’Hagan, to Vancouver Island where former student and then Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Director Colin Graham promoted her paintings. Peterson was honoured for her work in exhibitions at the National Gallery in Ottawa (1961 and 1963) and the Sao Paulo Biennale in Brazil (1963).