Mary Ann Mengel
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a Pennsylvania-based oil painter inspired by the connection between humans and their surroundings. My work is primarily figurative--directly, implied, or symbolic. I’m intrigued by the interplay of energy between people, their environment, and natural elements. My work reveals a visual narrative of these otherwise unseen relationships. My color palette is grounded in nature, imaginative and leans toward abstraction. As evidence of my hand’s connection to the canvas, I create layered marks using brushes, palette knives and other tools, inviting an element of emotional depth and revealing the significance I feel for the subject.
Although you’ll occasionally find me painting en plein air, I primarily paint in the studio from my own reference photos of landscapes, people and my travels. My painting process is not linear, but is guided by intuition and imagination. The familiar is entwined with a sensory overlay depicting the beauty, joy, and intrigue of a fleeting moment.
Background
My innate interest in visual art was ignited when I was awarded a full scholarship to the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts as a high school sophomore. I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Communication Design and a Master's degree in
Instructional Technology. Prior to devoting my creative energy to oil painting, my early professional career spanned a variety of fields including graphic design, photography and web design before transitioning to work in academia. I am now retired from a career as an instructional multimedia designer for a university.
I am a member of the Hamburg Area Arts Alliance, Berks Art Alliance, Allied Artists of Schuylkill County and Studio B Art Gallery in Boyertown. In addition to oil painting, I upcycle old furniture with my original hand-painted folk art designs inspired by historical motifs of the Pennsylvania Dutch culture.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a Pennsylvania-based oil painter inspired by the connection between humans and their surroundings. My work is primarily figurative--directly, implied, or symbolic. I’m intrigued by the interplay of energy between people, their environment, and natural elements. My work reveals a visual narrative of these otherwise unseen relationships. My color palette is grounded in nature, imaginative and leans toward abstraction. As evidence of my hand’s connection to the canvas, I create layered marks using brushes, palette knives and other tools, inviting an element of emotional depth and revealing the significance I feel for the subject.
Although you’ll occasionally find me painting en plein air, I primarily paint in the studio from my own reference photos of landscapes, people and my travels. My painting process is not linear, but is guided by intuition and imagination. The familiar is entwined with a sensory overlay depicting the beauty, joy, and intrigue of a fleeting moment.
Background
My innate interest in visual art was ignited when I was awarded a full scholarship to the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts as a high school sophomore. I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Communication Design and a Master's degree in
Instructional Technology. Prior to devoting my creative energy to oil painting, my early professional career spanned a variety of fields including graphic design, photography and web design before transitioning to work in academia. I am now retired from a career as an instructional multimedia designer for a university.
I am a member of the Hamburg Area Arts Alliance, Berks Art Alliance, Allied Artists of Schuylkill County and Studio B Art Gallery in Boyertown. In addition to oil painting, I upcycle old furniture with my original hand-painted folk art designs inspired by historical motifs of the Pennsylvania Dutch culture.
