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Pictured here is Mary's home and Art Studio
Mary (at right) with friend and fellow artist Lucy Liew standing next to "Window of Opportunity".
Mary is pictured here (surrounded by paintings of her Father and Grandfather) after finishing the installation of a recent figurative show.
Mary is pictured here next to a commission piece and the painting's subject— "Bosco"
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Mary Medrano
Mary’s paintings come from the heart. She shares messages of joy as well as sorrow. The message may be inspired by a friend’s vacation, or from personal memories. Many seemingly ordinary events come to life in her artwork. “I tell the day-to-day events and stories of my life in my artwork.”
While she was growing up in the midwest with loving parents and siblings, strong family ties developed. With a healthy “can do” attitude and the support of friends and family she has nurtured her spirit with a lifetime of creativity. After moving to California and surviving the dot com bust, Mary decided it was time for a career change. With an educational background in photography and graphic design, she went back to her creative roots and started painting.
With early success and regular gallery shows, she has continued to explore where her heart leads, by sharing her personal stories through her artwork.
My paintings are created on canvas with acrylic paints, paper, fabric and other items that may help support the message. Whether it’s a person, a bird or some other animal, it’s a feeling I’m trying to capture, not an exact likeness. I want there to be a connection so that I feel I am relating to my subject matter. It may be silly or serious, even spiritual. I always strive to make a connection.
Some of my paintings start out with a sketch or by looking at old photographs. Sometimes I begin with no particular subject in mind, and unintentionally end up with someone or something that is very familiar to me. I’m delighted with things not coming out exactly as they are in real life.
I was born and raised in Michigan and moved to California in 1982. I maintain a full time studio in San José, CA. I have taken workshops and classes in the San Francisco Bay Area and at the Institute Allende in Mexico. I have a degree in Photography from Western Michigan University and a degree in Graphic Design and Visual Communication from University of California Santa Cruz extension. |
