My Art statement

Artist Statement
Although I paint a lot of contemporary and abstract subjects, I try to keep the same style and technique for most of my oil paintings.
Every now and then, I like to paint a landscape. It feels like feeding my soul!
I get moved by the beauty of the country around me, the Wonder of the mountains and the expanse of the ocean.
Painting the landscape, after working with more abstract subjects, still life and figurative art, is making me realize my creative diversity.
I study the part of the country I would like to paint and take notes of the colors, the light and the shade formations, I put them all down on my sketch book and I supplement the information with lots of pictures taken vertically and horizontally at different times of the day. I don’t use a good camera, because I don’t want to include too many details when I start painting. I only want the shapes recorded so that I get some accuracy of the place.
Also when working from photos, one can get distracted by the ‘Kodachrom’ of the prints. When you look and study nature, the sky is full of delicate colors, the shadows are blue, purple and pink and the greens are just popping out of the ground. The atmosphere too will determine the palette I’m going to use when I start painting back in my studio.
Color harmony is very important in nature, I note the way a particular scene makes me feel, then I try to recreate this feeling in my work and because I feel so relaxed and one with the Universe my paintings are a reflection of this. Fresh, vivid and happy colors in harmony with each other!
On the other hand, when I paint in my studio, a still life or a contemporary study, I have to create the atmosphere. I have to get the composition right, think about the flowers or ornaments I will use, the colors, the light, which many times is the opposite from what I get naturally from my windows, because the shadows are more favorable for my composition. Then I have to use artificial lights and give the painting the feel of natural sunlight.
　Mary Papas (c) 2008/Privacy policy