 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mary Farmer - Artist Statement “When art is in your soul, you simply cannot breathe unless you are painting.” Mary Farmer‘s every breath reflects that of an accomplished, seasoned artist. Following in the footsteps of such renowned painters as Jasper Johns, she chose the unique medium of encaustic painting to express herself artistically to the world. Her pieces explore a wide range of content, possibilities and personal history. Using one of the most innovative methods of painting, Farmer melts beeswax and colored pigments into liquid/paste and then applies the Farmer notes, “I have worked closely with other encaustic painters and we see ourselves as the Alchemists of the 21st century. We discover, experiment with, combine and test new methods with our work almost daily.” Unique to other artists that employ the encaustic method, Farmer often uses watercolor paints in her process. This unconventional technique provides a beautiful, dreamy “under painting” for her layering effects. She will also occasionally mix her own pigments and incorporate handmade paper in the first layers of her paintings. Farmer is known as somewhat of a safety expert and she lectures to both novice and experienced encaustic artists on various aspects of the technique including the careful handling of hazardous materials in one’s studio. Farmer’s raw talent combined with her continuing dedication to creating new and impressive works is reflected in her rising status in the encaustic community. Her work has been featured in such notable publications as: American Art Collector, Novato Advance and the Marin Independent Journal. Farmer constantly strives to grow as an artist, seeing new images in her mind that she deems can transfer wellare transferable to her canvas. Farmer’s work is included in the collections of MCI World Communications and The Atlanta College of Art amongst other important private collections throughout the country. She has participated in juried exhibitions in Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Indianapolis and Laredo, Texas. Farmer was the proud recipient of the Atlanta College of Art's Presidential Scholarship. She won an award at the 10th International Juried Exhibition at The Laredo Center for the Arts and another at The Postcard Show at Lincoln Center in New York. Farmer has been featured in countless group shows including the “Encaustic Invitational” in Tucson in 2006. The “Annual Juried Exhibition of Marin Artists” in San Rafael in 2004, the National Juried Exhibition in San Francisco in 2003 and the “Expression Without Limitation,” Open Studio Show in Atlanta in 2000. “My mind is most at ease when I am actually painting. The preparation of the panels, the application of paint, observing the changes of each piece as I proceed…these are all very, very satisfying,” says Farmer. Farmer obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Georgia State University after beginning her degree program at the Atlanta College of Art. She has completed several encaustic workshops and certificate programs in New York and San Francisco. She is an affiliate of West Coast Encaustic Artists, an organization that brings local encaustic painters together to share, connect and collaborate on projects. Select members of this group including Farmer will participate in a 2007 show at the Las Vegas Contemporary Art Center. The group participates in exhibitions attracting a vast number of encaustic art devotees and those unfamiliar with the medium but who are immediately curious about it when they encounter it. Of extreme importance to the artist, is having an opportunity to give back to her community. Since the 1970’s she has been an advocate of protecting a woman’s right to choose. Farmer opposes virtually every restriction on abortion, including the laws requiring parental consent or notification for underage girls to end their pregnancies. Her belief is driven by a childhood friend’s unfortunate experience with teen pregnancy. Farmer’s mother encouraged her to be Through this personal familiarity with abortion rights, Farmer went on to become one of the first women to open abortion clinics in Birmingham, Alabama and southern Jackson, Mississippi. She later helped write clinic regulation laws, thus revolutionizing every woman’s right to choose. Farmer and her husband have willed their estate to benefit Planned Parenthood. Mary Farmer lives in San Rafael, California and has a studio dedicated to support a constant flow of her creative juices. She travels often to new and exotic places and has a particular affinity for New York and New Zealand. She will attended the Havana Biennale in March 2006, and has plans to travel to Italy this summer to ramble through galleries and museums taking in as much art as possible before embarking on a hiking trip through Umbria. For additional information, or to schedule an interview with Mary Farmer, please call Amy Levy Public Relations at 310-444-5250. Visit Mary Farmer on the web at: www.maryfarmer.com Resume Art Exhibitions Selected Solo Shows:
Selected Group Shows:
Publications
Collections
Awards
Education
|
|
 |
|
| represented artists | guest artists | current exhibitions | future exhibitions | past exhibitions | future events | past events | class info | class schedules | class registration | hours | submissions | employment | contact | |
