An incredible 95-year-old granny has produced more than 350 stunning drawings and paintings — despite being registered blind.
Margaret McNeil is completely blind in one eye and partially blind in the other but uses her sense of touch and memories to produce the fine artworks.
The former dress-fitter, who lives in Bothwell, South Lanarkshire, has made a large collection of eye-catching pastel drawings and paintings of landscapes and animals.
After the passing of her husband George in 1994, Margaret – originally from Bridgeton, Glasgow – started attending art classes after a friend invited her along.
Margaret met local artist and teacher Duncan Brown at night classes, who encouraged her to keep up her passion for painting, despite her eyesight deteriorating.
Gran Margaret said: “I’ve always been into painting and used to paint stones from the beach and would give them as presents to people to use as doorstops.
“It was not long after my husband had died and I didn’t feel like going along but I did and everyone was so nice.
“I was 71-years-old and there was a tap dancing class on, which I really enjoyed, and after speaking to the class leaders they referred me to local art teacher Duncan Brown.
“So I went along to Uddingston community hall and met Duncan and we’ve been great friends ever since.
“I lost the sight in my left eye and I said I should stop going to the classes, but Duncan said I mustn’t give up.
“I have done all the paintings from memory which sounds daft. I can’t do do as much as I used to but I get there.”
Margaret mainly enjoys recreating landscapes, with trees and colourful flowers.
She said: “I also like doing animals but I never wanted to do portraits.
“I give the paintings away to friends and have given them to people for raffles and fundraisers.”
Mother of two and grandmother of three, Margaret is also an avid baker and has become a local hit with her homebaking.
She uses talking scales and clocks to help her, and regularly gifts her popular lemon sponge and coffee and walnut cake to the church, the police station, and the dentist.
Margaret said: “I usually make between 10 and 20 cakes each week, I baked 32 cakes this week – which took me 14 hours.
“I always give 12 away, including four to the hospital – they always wait on me coming.
“The police and the bank get one each, as well as the doctors and the dentists.
“It’s just nice to think it gives someone a bit of pleasure having a nice piece of cake.
“In my younger years I baked everything but nowadays it’s mainly a lemon sponge and coffee and walnut cake.”
