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Mary Jane Volkmann StatementMy family shifts into high alert when we go somewhere and I drive the car. That is because it is somewhat difficult for me to concentrate just on driving. I'll notice the drifting clouds and the changing color of the sky, or I'll see a magnificent tree bent into strange contortions, seemingly telling me the stories of its life. I might spot an elderly woman in an assortment of colorful clothing, leaning on her cane while bent over a pot of boiled peanuts she is trying to sell on the sidewalk in front of her embattled clapboard house. I try to memorize the moment, and may be thinking deeply about what I've seen and how I could paint it when suddenly one of my children will shout, "MOM!!!" Whoops! My artwork is like that. It starts on location, wherever in this world that might be, and whether directly on canvas or from many forms of notes about those magic moments which later get translated onto the surface in front of me. I work in watercolors, oils and acrylics, and approach each painting as if I were going on a trip to an exotic and undiscovered land, or as if I am meeting a stranger whose intriguing face tantalizes me with imagined stories of a remarkable life. Detail captivates me. Diversity fascinates me. The thread of life connecting everyone and everything inspires me. For 28 years my work reflected the nature, faces and lives in southern Africa. We lived most of those years in an arid desert country with its wide-open landscapes and warm colors. In 2002 we settled in Gainesville, Florida, where the body of my work became an attempt to become familiar with the new colors, light and vegetation in which I found myself. Towards the end of 2003 I began a new body of work, incorporating the plein air painting I love with the rediscovery of my motherland and the many faces and places that make it so unique. Back in the studio I am painting the people and moments abroad which have touched my heart over the years. My work is a reflection of my love of life and the spirit I see reflected in all things. I do not profess to have any great artistic wisdom or innovation. I paint because it gives me the utmost joy. I love translating the inspiration I feel into a tangible form. To quote the expression my children use for what is thrilling to them, the process is "...awesome!!!" By the way, they drive me now. |
©2007 Mary Jane Volkmann - All Rights Reserved |
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