Since my last post, I’ve enjoyed time with celebration, family, mindfulness, travel and new ideas. Since that incredible exhibition moment in November of 2024, so much has transpired.
My husband and I learned to stretch many small through monumental-scale paintings and we both commented that it truly was one of the highlights of our time together this year. In my studio, we worked with our hands and energy to complete the process of preparing my work for it’s next step. My studio is looking quite full after stretching so many canvas paintings. I’ve reorganized and I’m loving the feeling of a fresh start in this new monochromatic season.
With the holidays and the busy end of year schedule, my studio work stayed small in scale, but bold and decisive in it’s expression. Knowing time wouldn’t permit me to completely immerse. myself in a new project, I found small canvases and pastels on paper to satisfy my urge to create.
Here are some thick, vibrant, layered oil paintings I created in November and December, available via Portland Art Gallery:
I also created a small body of work with which I began each piece simultaneously (with the exception of the largest piece ‘Waking to You’, which currently remains in my studio) and worked on them together in stages. These are acrylic and cyanotype paintings on canvas.
Looking back, I can now see this series as the start to my current interest in exploring lines and highlighting the properties of my materials. I wanted this series to remain simple and visually unified. Using a minimalist color palette and thin washes of pigment allow shapes and subtleties to dominate. These first five pieces shown below are currently on view at Galary House in Lexington, Massachusetts. All titles linked for more information.
In December, we proudly watched our daughters at swim meets, ballet studios and on stage singing with their school choirs. Meanwhile, here are the pastel drawings on paper I was creating during this time, available directly via my studio:
Our family then rang in the New Year (and our 50th birthdays and 20th wedding anniversary) with an incredible two week trip to Belgium and Paris, a first time family trip to Europe.
A few highlights of Paris and Belgium:
Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris, France
Although I had brought plenty of paper and pastels for this trip, we were so eager to experience as much at each location as possible, I only once found myself creating art. After a most amazing full day in Paris, I enjoyed a brief moment creating this piece below, before we headed off to the ballet.
Upon our return to Boston, just days ago, I’ve been spending more time working with pastels. It’s been so fulfilling to my senses to have these gorgeous sticks of pigment as extensions of my own hands, with nothing between them and my surface. The sound of these moving across the paper and the way I can instantly create soft and bold calligraphic type marks and lines is extremely satisfying. I am certain these small pastel works will remain another favorite way to work and generate ideas for my larger scale works. As always, it feels critical that I follow my instincts, ensuring that ideas have time to grow and ripen.
Below are the works I’ve created in the days since we have returned. As always, please email any questions, inquiries and to schedule studio visits. hello@marylynnburke.com
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