(Margaret Shipman
Paintings of Wild Plants, Medicinal Herbs, and Plant Folklore
Growing in the cracks of sidewalks, along roads, in between train tracks, and in the carefully tended gardens of our grandmothers, are plants our ancestors had deep relationships with.
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They gave them names based on what they observed about them; coffeeweed, scotchbriar, white man’s footprint, and bloodwort are a few. They boiled them into teas, applied them to wounds and rashes, added them to stews, placed poultices on the chests of sick children, and learned which plants were helpers.
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Our ancestors recognized the significance of these “weeds” and wildflowers, understanding how they signaled the health of the land and marked the passage of seasons. This deep relationship with plants is echoed in the songs and poetry of cultures worldwide.
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Yet, in modern times, our attention is often elsewhere. For many of us, simply identifying a wildflower is a challenge. I once overlooked the resilient plants pushing through neglected soil and sidewalks, dismissing them as signs of forgotten spaces.
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Now, I find myself captivated by these forgotten plants. I paint them, finding beauty and mystery in their forms. As I paint, I am not only identifying them but delving into their stories and sharing them through my art. In doing so, I honor our ancestors’ wisdom, passing their knowledge on in the best way I know how.
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My work is oil on canvas with some collage of painted resin paper added. I’ll often include my own notes about the history and folklore of the plants, or in a landscape I’ll include historical notes about the land.
BIO
Margaret Shipman is a painter inspired by the folklore, cultural history, and natural beauty of wild plants, medicinal herbs, and often-overlooked landscapes. She creates vibrant, intricate paintings that honor ancestral knowledge and the enduring relationships between humans and the natural world.
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​With degrees in both art and anthropology, Margaret started out as a student working for organizations seeking to help improve the lives of indigenous artists in US tribal communities and abroad. Then for the last two decades, she worked within arts organizations in Southern Vermont. Now as a full-time artist, Margaret can usually be found painting in her home studio which is surrounded by the wildflowers and woods that influence her work.
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Margaret’s paintings have been exhibited throughout the Northeast and are available through galleries, art fairs, and directly from her studio. She is the co-creator of The Wayfarer Tarot and is currently collaborating on a second deck.
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Press:
CanvasRebel, October 2024, Stories and Insights: Meet Margaret Shipman
Brattleboro Reformer, September 2020, Adding Something Different, Kris Radder
Vermont Winter Vacation Guide 2017, Love Where You Live
The Commons, February 24, 2016, Drawing a Crowd, Richard Henke
The Commons, February 10, 2016, Shipman Paintings on Display at Amy's
Southern Vermont Art & Living, Winter 2013 - 2014, The Art/Life Balance, Arlene Distler
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Finalist Collectors' Recognition 2024, Paradise City Arts Festival
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photo by Kris Radder of the Brattleboro Reformer.
Underpinning my art is the need to establish a connection with the land.
I'm seeking to understand the workings of the ecology of the landscape as well as human history with nature.
My paintings are of wild plants, herbs, and pollinators. They are also about folklore and the interrelationship between nature and humans. Small bits of wisdom, poetry, and practical advice are written among the busy-ness of my designs.
Respect for the interconnectedness of the natural world as well as our own relationship with it is important to my own journey, and grows for me with every painting.