Edith Marion Collier was born in Wanganui on March 28, 1885, the eldest of Henry and Eliza Collier. The Collier's were an early colonial family in Wanganui, with strong musical leanings. Edith herself played the cello, but it was towards art she most applied her talents. In 1912 at the age of 27, Edith Collier joined a number of young enthusiastic New Zealand artists of the time and left for England to become an expatriate.

The decision was to have a great impact on the subsequent development of her career. Influential teachings and friendship were provided through Margaret Preston and Frances Hodgkins. What resulted was a relatively brief period of rapid development of style, subject matter, colour and form, not to mention a considerable body of work.

In December 1921, Edith Collier travelled home to Wanganui. This was to impact on her position as a woman artist in the first half of last century. Without the support she had received overseas from like-minded artists, and facing the family responsibilities expected of a spinster aunt and eldest daughter, Collier lost the zest for experimentation which had characterised her earlier work. Within five years of returning to New Zealand, she started to put her painting aside. With the exception of a few spasmodic efforts in her last 25 years she ceased to paint altogether.

Edith Collier remains as an important example of an artist of her time. While she did not continue in the same progressive manner when she returned to New Zealand this should not overshadow the treasure of work she left behind.