Mary Papas

2012 was a year of many successes and memorable moments!
I worked very hard on both my styles and palettes and also had a few commissions to complete in between.
I painted 81 artworks this past year and sold 89 paintings, some created in previews years. 
I hope 2013 will be an equally good year for Art!  

Many times I’m asked from gallery owners - why don’t I keep to one style of painting?  My problem is that some galleries like my abstract artwork only and others sell my country, floral colorful paintings.
It is very difficult to choose which style I should stick to.  I enjoy painting in both styles. 
Should I stop painting the one style in order to please one segment of my collectors? Or should I continue painting as I always do according to my state of mind and feelings at the time of starting a new painting and produce an artwork that really is created from the heart!
Another question I get very often is – why my abstract work is almost double the price of my other work?
Although my colorful paintings are very creative, my landscapes are in the most unrealistic color palette and my flowers so bright they pop out of the canvas, they are created with such ease, as if they paint themselves.  I only have to take my palette knife on my hand and go to town with my paints!  It is that much enjoyable to do! The pleasure I get creating is so great that no matter how long it will take me to paint a landscape I have difficulty stopping for the day or night.
On the other hand my abstract work is more involved.  I have to make sketches think along the lines of my theme, what I have already created and what I still need to explore in line of my subject which is the ‘City Life’ without loosing my original style of expression.  Once I develop my new idea then I start to paint.  All these need quite a lot of preliminary work.  The execution of my abstract artwork is done by my hand been guided from my heart and soul. Palette knife on my hand following a spiritual enlightenment!