Mary Chandler
Marginal Way Mist, Ogunquit
My first and foremost inspiration came at a very young age from viewing Monet’s paintings at the Chicago Art Institute. When I embarked on an education in the arts I was focused on illustration with training in realistic painting. Artists who have influenced my vision along the way have been Winslow Homer, the Wyeths, Edward Hopper, and John Singer Sargent.
I find inspiration in the beautiful light and atmospheric scenes created by coastal New England's proximity to the sea. I am a contemporary realistic painter working in watercolor and gouache. My work focuses on capturing the relationship of architecture in the landscape in harmony with the gardens and ocean vistas of Nantucket, Cape Ann, and Maine. We live in a rapidly evolving world where our surroundings of past and present converge. I am inspired by the story of endurance as it’s told by the coexistence of historic architecture woven into the current landscape. There is a resonance of timeless connection that I feel when I experience the color, light and shadow in these moments of time. Whether I am working in the studio or en plein air, each new discovery is an opportunity to share a creative expression of place and history.
Painting is poetry that is seen – Leonardo da Vinci