Red Dress, by Mary Shea. Sketch from one of the Seattle Artist League online classes.
This is a post about a new member of the Seattle Artist League: Mary Shea. I’m proud to say she’s set up to teach drawing with us this quarter. I wanted to share some of her work that so excited me.
I met Mary Shea in one of our online art class during the pandemic. We were taking Jonathan Harkham’s Transcriptions class, and I loved how she used color.
There was one project assignment in which Jonathan challenged us to take a figure from the Villa of Mysteries and put it into an interior by Bonnard.
Piece of the Villa of Mysteries, a series of frescoes in PompeiiPiece of the Villa of Mysteries, a series of frescoes in PompeiiQuick pencil study of figures from the Villa of Mysteries by Mary SheaQuick pencil study of figures from the Villa of Mysteries by Mary SheaBonnard drawing for inspirationMary Shea’s sketch with Bonnard’s interior and figures from the Villa of Mysteries
Mary’s drawing is striking, with a beautiful sense of light and space and movement through the composition. It has a temporal feeling, as if it was just an extended second with us as guests at their table on a sunny day, the window open.
“Dark-Lunch” by Mary Shea (forgive the poor lighting)“Light-Lunch” by Mary Shea
Mary’s two resulting paintings show a possible light and dark completion. While the green and red in the first painting vibrate brilliantly, the abstract and suggestive nature in the second, the lighter of the paintings puts my mind into a more active dream-like state.
Below is a selection of some of Mary Shea’s other works. Look how she plays with light and color. If you find the work interesting, consider taking her drawing class. Basic Drawing starts April 13.
Drawings
Window at Dusk, by Mary SheaOn the Ferry, by Mary SheaDaylight, by Mary SheaPoppies – Italy, by Mary Shea
Paintings
Self PortraitSunlight, by Mary SheaMy Parents at the Table, by Mary SheaTwilight Garden, by Mary Shea
[image_with_animation image_url=”9795″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] In the early 1960s, Jasper Johns made a series of 12 artworks playing with a sequence of numbers. The numbers gave him an excuse to play with figure and ground, line and color. Sometimes the simplest challenges are the most fun. Today, overlap the numbers 0-9. Invent a typography, …
“Some of the most important conversations I’ve ever had occurred at my family’s dinner table.” – Bob Ehrlich A small selection of table settings. Do you have a favorite that isn’t in this collection? Send it to me, or post it here. Bon Appetite!
My thoughts so far have separated this warped perspective into two potential causes. First, when we look directly at something such as a pipe or an architectural beam, when in front of us it appears to be straight, but if we don’t move our eyes, it might be that the object slightly bends in our …
Day 25 of our 30 Day January Challenge was to make instructions that no one will ever need. Apparently, when artists are outlining useless instructions they are at their very best. The last one is my personal favorite, but there were so many great drawings to post, the last one is a long, long, long …
Mary Shea; Drawn to Color
This is a post about a new member of the Seattle Artist League: Mary Shea. I’m proud to say she’s set up to teach drawing with us this quarter. I wanted to share some of her work that so excited me.
I met Mary Shea in one of our online art class during the pandemic. We were taking Jonathan Harkham’s Transcriptions class, and I loved how she used color.
There was one project assignment in which Jonathan challenged us to take a figure from the Villa of Mysteries and put it into an interior by Bonnard.
Mary’s drawing is striking, with a beautiful sense of light and space and movement through the composition. It has a temporal feeling, as if it was just an extended second with us as guests at their table on a sunny day, the window open.
Mary’s two resulting paintings show a possible light and dark completion. While the green and red in the first painting vibrate brilliantly, the abstract and suggestive nature in the second, the lighter of the paintings puts my mind into a more active dream-like state.
Below is a selection of some of Mary Shea’s other works. Look how she plays with light and color. If you find the work interesting, consider taking her drawing class. Basic Drawing starts April 13.
Drawings
Paintings
Mary Shea’s Bio
Register for Basic Drawing, beginning April 13
mary-shea.com
IG: marysheaseattle
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[image_with_animation image_url=”9795″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] In the early 1960s, Jasper Johns made a series of 12 artworks playing with a sequence of numbers. The numbers gave him an excuse to play with figure and ground, line and color. Sometimes the simplest challenges are the most fun. Today, overlap the numbers 0-9. Invent a typography, …
At the Table
“Some of the most important conversations I’ve ever had occurred at my family’s dinner table.” – Bob Ehrlich A small selection of table settings. Do you have a favorite that isn’t in this collection? Send it to me, or post it here. Bon Appetite!
My Warped Point of View
My thoughts so far have separated this warped perspective into two potential causes. First, when we look directly at something such as a pipe or an architectural beam, when in front of us it appears to be straight, but if we don’t move our eyes, it might be that the object slightly bends in our …
30SAL Faves: How to Do Everything
Day 25 of our 30 Day January Challenge was to make instructions that no one will ever need. Apparently, when artists are outlining useless instructions they are at their very best. The last one is my personal favorite, but there were so many great drawings to post, the last one is a long, long, long …