Margaret Southwell

Margaret earned a Bachelor's degree in Comparative Literature and Art History from New York University, as well as studying at Parsons School of Design. Margaret lived in England for ten years where her interest in art history and her talent  took an unexpectedly practical turn when she responded to an advertisement for an "artist assistant." That proved to be her introduction to the world of  ceramic restoration. Today she restores  ceramics for the finest antique dealers and collectors in the world, and her work can be found in collections in the Metropolitan Museum, Atlanta High Museum and Colonial Williamsburg Museum. One of her clients wrote of her: "We are very blessed in that we think we have one of the best enamel restorers of the world, and she is our good friend and very conservative in her expertise and restoration, and very talented." Another client of 30 years said " Margaret is the best in the US." Margaret restores all types of ceramics including porcelain, pottery, stoneware and enamels.  She lives 30 miles west of NYC. 

Her love of antique ceramic figures naturally evolved into her own design and creation of  animal sculptures which she calls Menagerie By M.  Each animal is hand-sculpted and painted, and is therefore unique. 

The inspiration for  The Menagerie came from 18th and 19th century English pottery and porcelain as well as Japanese and Chinese antique porcelain.