Maggie and Jack on the Way to Work by Mary Lois Brown.
From her home near Sedona, AZ, Mary Lois Brown enjoys “almost a 360-degree view” of hills, mountains, and the area’s renowned red rocks, all of which are perfect inspirations for her plein-air painting efforts. A two-hour drive to the north is her “all-time favorite subject,” the Grand Canyon, which she knows intimately. Brown previously lived on its South Rim for 20 years, the first three of which she spent working as a pack-mule guide leading tourists deep into the chasm. “It was freeing and wonderful to be in the canyon every day,” she says.
Surprisingly, she adds, “When I moved there in 1981, I pretty much left painting behind for a while.” She had loved and studied art all through her school years in Pennsylvania, and it was there that she first painted in the open air under the tutelage of noted artist Patricia Cochran. “She introduced me to the world of light and color and taught me how to see,” Brown says. In Arizona, she satisfied her creativity by photographing nature, while she worked full time for 17 years as owner/operator of Bright Angel Hair Design.
A Break in the Clouds by Mary Lois Brown.
A 1997 painting class taught by Tom Darro at the Scottsdale Artists School reintroduced her to painting in oils. After she moved to the White Mountains in northeastern Arizona, workshops with Scott Jennings returned her to the pleasures of plein-air painting. Brown remains an active member of the Art Alliance of the White Mountains, has won awards at numerous plein-air events, and in 2009 demonstrated her plein-air prowess during the Grand Canyon Celebration of Art.
Dry Creek Magic by Mary Lois Brown.
Mary Lois Brown painting at Cave Springs.
Today, Brown reckons that plein-air works like DRY CREEK MAGIC, done not far from her home, make up about 40 percent of her output, though open-air studies inform her remaining studio paintings. She describes her style as “impressionistic, with a touch of abstraction in the actual design of the painting and, sometimes, a lack of details. As Picasso said, ‘Art is the elimination of the unnecessary.’ I try to remember that.” To learn more, visit http://www.brightangelcreations.com.
Fall Colors at Cave Springs by Mary Lois Brown.