Local artist Margaretta Caesar is proof of the adage, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” As we sat in her quaint studio near downtown Morrison, I felt every ounce of love and passion that flows into her work surround me. Embraced by the warmth of her various landscape pieces, I was enamored with the woman in front of me. Margaretta’s positive energy and enthusiasm for life and art poured forth as I discovered her journey to becoming a professional artist.

Born and raised in a small town in Western Pennsylvania, Margaretta lived an idyllic childhood filled with outdoor adventures, horses and fox hunts (drag hunting). She was an athletic child who didn’t recognize her artistic prowess until later in high school. She knew she wanted to become a teacher, possibly an art teacher—a goal she realized later in life.

The foundation for Margaretta’s creativity was influenced by her mother, who was a portraitist. As a young child, she would sit for hours and watch as individuals would come to life through her mother’s paintbrush. Mostly, she remembers entertaining the young ones with books to assist with their wiggles. Her mother was a true teacher who allowed free reign of art supplies and taught Margaretta and her two siblings different art techniques. She reflects, “My mother painted a mural in our dining room, all the way around, of flora and fauna of Western Pennsylvania. It was 20 years in the making and exquisite! She would allow us to add to it. It gave us this freedom and confidence to experiment.”

With creative confidence coursing through her veins, Margaretta decided to go to college to study art. She first attended Smith College, a small liberal arts school, then finalized her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Denver University (DU) in 1973. She met her current husband of 51 years while attending DU, and soon after they married and began a family. While she was raising her three children, Margaretta became a favorite middle and high school substitute teacher in the mountain community, granting her the flexibility necessary to tend to a busy household. She happily educated hundreds of students for 27 years before retiring and finding her way back to the canvas.

Margaretta’s initial goal was to “make paintings like the old masters with rich and dark backgrounds.” After completing her first piece, her oldest daughter point blank said, “Mom, that is really boring.” Margaretta was slightly affronted and wanted to prove she could create a more enigmatic painting. She began with aspens and added tons of color and textures. It was then Margaretta realized how very much aligned she was with a vibrant color palette and still credits her daughter for “getting her on the right track.”

Margaretta’s oil landscape paintings are inspired by the natural experiences she encounters and the vistas she and her husband capture on camera. She is an avid hiker and practically lives in Bear Creek Lake Park where she draws much of her inspiration. Her process begins with a solid warm-colored foundation applied to a large canvas. Next, a gentle outlining of the subject, then the details follow—in many, many layers. Color, texture and patterns are prominent in each of her radiant pieces.

It’s been 17 years since Margaretta picked up that paint brush again. She had taken only a few refresher classes to dial-in her artistic voice, and it didn’t take long before she was producing professional quality work. After participating in many art shows over the years, she has found happiness in creating for select galleries, family/friends, independent clients, and commissioned work. Mostly, Margaretta is proud to donate her paintings for fundraising to causes that are close to her heart, such as the Alzheimer’s Association.

Margaretta strikes a lovely “work”/life balance through appreciating nature and her growing family. She nurtures her self-care with regular hiking and great-horned owl hunting! She and her husband gather with the family often and are thoroughly loving grandparenthood. Most days, Margaretta will paint in the afternoon and finds her biggest struggle is editing—when to stop painting.

To further experience the wonder of Margaretta’s work, visit margarettacaesar.com or savor it in person at the following galleries: Mountain Home, Evergreen; Saks Galleries, Cherry Creek; Ann Korologos, Basalt; The Broadmoor Galleries, Colorado Springs; K Newby Gallery, Tubac, AZ.