Printmaker, painter, artist in mixed media and teacher, born in London. She studied at Ruskin School of Art, Oxford, winning two painting prizes, Rodrigo Moynihan as visiting teacher; then studied at Central School of Art, under Merlyn Evans, Hans Tisdall and Alan Davie. McLaren gained a French Government Scholarship to study printmaking with S W Hayter at Atelier 17 in Paris and returned to teach at Goldsmiths’ College of Art. Post-war American painters, notably Rothko and Diebenkorn, post-war French artists and Ivon Hitchens and the English landscape painters influenced McLaren. She was a fellow of the Printmakers’ Council of Great Britain and of RE. Her many group shows included St George’s Gallery, WIAC, RA, Octagon Gallery in Belfast and overseas exhibitions.