Margaret Campbell-Ryder

Margaret CAMPBELL-RYDER
Owner and Curator Red Hill Gallery Brisbane
Born and educated in Bendigo and Rochester in Victoria, however Margaret has been a loyal Queenlander for the last 50 years.
Since 1998, Margaret and her late husband Graham, have owned and managed the Red Hill Gallery. In 2004 they opened their second art gallery “Emporium Gallery of Fine Arts” in the Fortitude Valley which was highly successful and had a change of direction.

Margaret curates Red Hill Art Gallery on a daily basis with her Art Consultants and her Marketing Team. This involves the design, structure and scheduling of the monthly feature exhibition program along with the management, support and mentoring of over 125 artists. Margaret has also created and collaborated on special event exhibitions such as the Brisbane Hilton Hotel’s 21st Birthday and the Stamford Plaza Hotel’s 20th birthday celebrations of Siggis restaurant.

The curatorship, organisation, planning and presentation of exhibitions have been a natural progression from Margaret’s extensive experience in fashion, retail and event management. Her unique skills and talents have made Red Hill Gallery one of Australia’s leading art galleries.

Selected for inclusion in the “Who’s Who of Queensland” 2008, a publication of the state’s best and brightest held in the highest regard.
Executive Member Advisory Council to Energy Ombudsman (Qld) 2007- 2012
Vice President and Executive Member The Retailers Association 2006- 2010
Member Organising Committee Paralympics Fund Raising Dinners 2002
Financial Committee Karuna Hospice Services 2001-03
Organising Committee Palliative Care National Conference 2000
Women’s Network Australia 1991-
Management Committee Australia Day Council (Qld) 1996-99
Event Co-ordinator Australia Day Functions and Special Events Brisbane 1988-1999
Owner and Director Zargold Events Management and Fashion Consultancy 1987-98
Director Brisbane City Heart Business Association 1982-97
National General Manager Splendiferous Women’s Fashion Stores 1985-87
Director of Buying McDonnell and East Dept Stores 1983-85
Senior Merchandise Controller Reids Dept Stores 1977-83
Fashion Buyer Sportsgirl 1972-77

Margaret’s passion and motivation is the mentoring of young emerging Australian artists.

“My favourite place would have to be the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane, together with the adjoining Queensland Art Gallery. Both are world class facilities and have on-going programs that introduce people of all ages to art in all its forms”.

A short profile of MARGARET CAMPBELL-RYDER……….

Margaret was born and educated in Bendigo and Rochester in Victoria but has been a Queenslander now for the past 50 years and lives in a traditional 1920’s Queenslander in the inner city of Brisbane,

Margaret and her late husband Graham jointly own and operate the RED HILL GALLERY in Brisbane which they acquired in November 1998. In 2004 they established and opened their second Gallery- EMPORIUM GALLERY of fine arts – which was in Fortitude Valley. Red Hill Gallery is recognised as one of Brisbane’s leading Art Galleries.

Margaret manages Red Hill Gallery on a day-to-day basis with her six art consultants. She is also responsible for establishing the program of Exhibitions, hanging and marketing them on a monthly basis.

HOWEVER let us look at her past extensive retail experience……………..

…..Margaret became a trainee buyer for SPORTSGIRL in the early 1970’s and on completion of that training
she was appointed as a Fashion Buyer. Following the company’s decision to centralize its operation in Melbourne in 1977 she was the only Queensland buyer of nine buyers to be offered a position as National Fashion Buyer down there. After due consideration she declined that offer to stay and live in Brisbane.

…..That lead to a position with WALTER REID in 1977 in their retail division REID’S as a merchandise controller. She was responsible for six of the company buyers and the merchandising of stock in their sixteen department stores throughout Queensland. She was directly instrumental in creating a successful cosmetics business in the group. She held this position for seven years resulting in extensive travel throughout Queensland and regular buying trips both interstate and overseas each year.

…..After pursuing a personal challenge to become a creative writer she was soon wooed back into retailing. Department Store group McDonnell & East offered her a three months consultancy in 1983 to modernize, expand and totally review the cosmetic departments in their five stores. This then lead to her accepting an appointment as a Merchandise Controller for their Accessory & Cosmetic group.

…… the national women’s fashion chain SPLENDIFEROUS then offered Margaret the position of General Manager which she accepted in 1985. She was responsible for the management and operation of the company’s twenty six stores and accountable for the overall profitability to the board of the ADA Corporation.

…..then after an extensive career in fashion and general retailing in 1987 Margaret established her own business- FASHION-IN-MOTION. This was a specialist consultancy assisting clients with retail staff training and assessment, manufacturing, the creation of new retail outlets and special events for particular clients. Some of those clients included Queensland sportswear manufacturer Geiger Enterprises; McDonnell & East; the Australia Fair Shopping Centre at Southport; jewellers Wallace Bishops and Hardy Brothers and wedding fashion retailer Mariana Hardwick just to name just a few.

At that same time and jointly with husband Graham she became a co-Director of ZARGOLD Pty Ltd which specialized in major promotional management for clients such as the Brisbane City Heart Business Association and the Queen Street Mall from 1982 to 1997; the main Brisbane official celebrations for the Australia Day Council such as their annual Corporate Luncheon and the Vice Regal Dinner and the re-launching and conduct of Fashions-on-the Field for the QTC Winter Carnival for some four years.

Also during those years she has been an elected Director and Secretary of Brisbane City Heart Business Association over ten years; an elected Management Committee member of the Australia Day Council (Qld) for six years and by invitation, a member of the RAQ Fashion Design Awards Committee for five years.

Margaret also served as an Executive Member Advisory Council to Energy Ombudsman (Qld) 2007- 2012

Reading, traveling and decorating are her three main personal interests which add to her newest mentoring challenge.
Margaret CAMPBELL-RYDER is a highly motivated person with an ability to achieve maximum results
from any enterprise she may undertake.