Mary Chandler
Featured Artist working With Watercolor
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 atmospheric scenes created by the proximity to the sea and the beautiful light of New England. As a painter, I’m drawn to the harmony between the light and shadow cast by the mature trees against the structural edges of the historic architecture. Poetry is in the rambling wild textures and colors of the surrounding moors and marshes leading to the ocean.
Working primarily in watercolor, I am a traditional, realistic painter with a specific point of view. I aspire to create a sense of timelessness or calm and reflection in my work. My strong sense of color is helpful in creating the feeling of light and atmosphere when I paint. I have a fascination with the lines of architecture and perspective. I like to create my compositions by finding a pathway or road leading to a vignette of small structures in the distance to bring depth to the scene. Over my years of experience as a painter, I continue to experiment. My eyes are always searching for potential compositions where I hope to engage the viewer in the painting. Coastal New England is rich with these vistas.