Margarets training included three years at the South Australian School of Arts and attendance at several adult education  classes. She was influenced by her parents, Ken and Dora Whitford, who are both represented in the National Gallery,the Art Galleryof SouthAustralia and in other State Galleries.   A foundation member of the Bumside Painting Group and previously a member of the Adelaide Art Society (serving as a Committee Member and ExhibitionSelector) and associate memberof RoyalAustralian Society of Arts.
Her paintings have been exhibited extensively for many years in over 40 different galleries (all by invitation) and in many art society shows. She has also exhibited in many Rotaryand charity exhibitions.   Her work is representedin all States of Australia and in many overseas countries, in private collections and also in many public buildings, Municipal Offices, Civic Centres and Board Rooms.
Many of her paintings have been used as presentations, and the Red Cross have featured her paintings in several series of greetingcards. The Metropolitan Male Choir has also used her paintings for many sets of greeting cards.  A colour plateof her painting "TelfordCreek-bed"appears in the book TheFlinders Rangesand Beyond.
She has travelled both overseas and widely throughout Australia where she gained inspiration for her landscapes. Â Manyof her flower studies have been done from her garden and from native plants of the Adelaide Hills.
Prizes
1st Prize 1969 WeeramaExhibition, Murray Bridge (Judge: Max Ragless)
1st Prize "Still Life" 1971 Paintathon at HolyTrinity Church (Judge: John Baily)
 PurchasingPrize for the permanent art collection of Victor Harbor in the 1981 Victor Harbor Rotary Exhibition
(Judge: DavidDridan)
1st Prize 1985 CampbelltownRotary Exhibition (Judge: David Dridan)
 Merit Prize 1985 CampbelltownRotary Exhibition
3rd Prize Mitcham Village Arts and Crafts 1986 Jubilee Exhibition (Judge: Ainslie Roberts)
Local Theme Prize 1986 CampbelltownRotary Exhibition
Special Merit Prize 1986 CampbelltownRotary Exhibition
Peoples Choice Prize 1986 Burnside City Council Jubilee Art Exhibition
Merit Prize for Oil Painting Noarlunga Rotary Art Show (Judges : Geoffrey DeVere Tyndall and Graham
Catchlove)
2nd Prize Wimmera Art Exhibition 1989 (Judge: B. Beasley-Southgate)
1st Prize 1990 Mitcham Arts and Craft Festival Exhibition(Judge: David Keane)
Award of Merit 1991 Campbelltown Rotary Exhibition (Judge: David Dridan)
Certificate of Merit - Highly Commended1991 Rotary Club of Flagstaff Hill Exhibition (Judge: June Colligan)
1st Prize for Oil Painting 1992 Rotary Club of Flagstaff Hill Exhibition (Judge: Marjorie Hann)
1st Prize for Oil Painting 1992 Campbelltown Rotary Exhibition (Judge: Jim Elder)
Award of Merit 1993/94 Port Art Show (Judge: Leonard Vasin)
3rd Prize 2005 Freemasons Art Exhibition(Judge: Gary Gaston)
2nd Prize Water Colour Royal AdelaideShow 2006
1st Prize for Landscape Painting Mildura Rotary Art Show 2007
2nd Prize (Local Subject) Yorke Peninsula Art Exhibition 2008 (Judges Barbara Evans & Janette Ireland)
1st Prize 2008 CampbelltownRotaryArt Exhibition(Judges Avril Thomas & Wanda Brabenec)
Commendation-Best in Exhibition Clare Rotary Art Show 2011
1st Prize Open Section Port Adelaide Rotary Art Show 2011 (Judge David O'Conner Art Gallery of SA)
Judges' Special Mention Yorke Peninsula Art Exhibition 2012 (Judges Robert Griffiths & Geoff GibbonsÂ
Adelaide Central School of Arts)
Major Prize (Local Subject) Yorke Peninsula Art Exhibition 2012 (Judges Robert Griffiths & Geoff Gibbons-
Adelaide Central School of Arts)
1st Prize - Oil Painting 2013 Campbelltown Rotary Exhibition (Judges: John Tiplady & Andris Jansons)
Highly Commended Painting 2013 Blackwood Rotary Exhibition (Judge Avril Thomas)
Royal Adelaide Show Art Purchase Exhibition: CommendedPrize - Oil Painting
Royal Adelaide Show Art Purchase Exhibition: 3'd Prize Oil Painting- Landscape Section
Royal Adelaide Show Art Purchase Exhibition: 2ndPrize Oil Painting- Still Life Section
Merit Award 2013 Port Adelaide Rotary Club Exhibition (Judge: John Ford)
1st Prize - Oil or Acrylic Painting 2015 Campbelltown Art Show (Judge John Ford) | 
