I often work on more than one canvas at a time, since oils require drying time between layers.
I love bright clean colour and have chosen fine oils as the best material to achieve that juicy colour. Seeing the energy in every object and translating that energy to the canvas is my goal.
Plein Air work (outdoors in natural light) is part of my painting routine, an important ingredient in keeping my viewpoint fresh and alive. But, I most love to work in my studio, with a physical set up in front of me, carefully composed and lighted by me. (Where I am in charge, not the weather) I am intriqued by the way light plays upon it's subject, and I strive to recreate the dance of light.
Coming from a family of professional photographers has given me a distinct advantage in recording my material faithfully for use in painting, and I maintain an enormous file of reference photos for future use .
I never go anywhere without a camera, and see possibilities for paintings everywhere, in every light and situation. I save up the files, and use them for reference when needed. More than photo realism, my work reflects my vision of the object as I make changes and arrange the scene before me to suit my vision , with the best design, layout, colour, atmosphere.
My recent work, The Marble Series, started with a simple wish to understand light as it passes through glass but quickly became metaphorical in nature as I began to add toys and consider the relationships of the objects to today's events. I searched everywhere for old, beautiful, tin toys and the search was almost as much fun as the painting! I had no idea at it's beginning, where the Marbles would take me.
I have started a new series on Water/Reflections, let's see where that goes!
About Mary
I fell in love with drawing and painting as a child and was encouraged by my parents to draw whenever I wished. Although Mom was a hobby painter who didn't have much time to indulge her desire of being an artist, she saw the love of painting in me .I will never forget one day, she took me out into a farmer's field and we set up to paint. She picked up with her brush purple, and began to paint the barn before her. I looked ahead...."Where on earth does she see purple?" I was looking at a big old grey barn? That day opened my eyes to the joyous colour everywhere. She said "Look.... look in the shadows, see the colour?..see the shapes the shadows make?"
That was a long time ago, but I am finally able to follow my dream.
After raising a family and dabbling in painting in my spare time, I decided to think seriously about and study painting. And so I do, every day. I love the idea that something I created never existed before, and there isn't another one anywhere in the world!
This was a fun project! I hand painted this billboard in two days, in oils, on a scaffold. It was installed on the structure, and was moved around the desert to different billboard structures for many months. I never knew when I would turn down a highway and see it!
This board was nominated for an ADDY Award, the Oscar's of advertising!
