Born at Eggington near Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, the young Madeline grew up in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. She later lived in London and studied in Paris. In 1908 she became a student of Stanhope FORBES in Newlyn, and was subsequently based in Lamorna, studying under Samuel John Lamorna BIRCH. She was a popular member of the Lamorna community during the years 1912 to 1914. During her time in Cornwall she put together a scrapbook revealing her friendships, which is now in the possession of Penlee House Gallery & Museum.

In 1909 she exhibited a series of miniatures on ivory at NAG, and sold Pollie in 1909 and The Bargee’s Daughter there in 1910. In 1909 she had her first success at the Royal Academy with The Two Pigtails. Two years later she had two further works on display there.

In 2011 a miniature portrait by Madge Fawkes of Florence CARTER-WOOD (a friend and fellow student at the Forbes School) was discovered hidden behind an image of a boy, which had been in the possession of Gilbert Evans.

During the 1920s Madge was based in Chelsea, when in England. She continued occasionally to have works shown at the Royal Academy up until 1931. In 1939 she was awarded the Grenfell Medal by the RHS for her paintings of Lesotho wild flowers. She showed considerable skill in garden design.