Artist Biography, 2019 Most noted for her expressionist inspired portraits, Maurie’s work connects the viewer to her work through emotional imagery of light, negative space and value shifts. Influenced by Leroy Neiman, Andrew Wyeth and contemporary artists Ted Lawson and Dean Mitchell, Maurie strives to capture movement and expression of everyday people and events through the effective use of wet into wet techniques coupled with composition that encourages visual storytelling. As a self-taught artist, Maurie communicates a daily discipline of painting and creating through her workshops and classes taught at WaterWorks Art Studio in Tulsa, Ok and Eureka Springs School of the Arts in Eureka Springs, AK. Maurie resides in Tulsa Oklahoma where she teaches, works and creates.
Winter, 2019
Winter, 2019
Artist Statement
I am fascinated by watercolor. I love that its fluid nature forces me to see my subject in terms of shapes, values and light. Watercolor’s challenging quality insists that I really know my subject, that I really look at it and understand it. While other mediums can be manipulated, watercolor cannot be so easily satisfied. It demands a confident strategy. It demands a study. It demands the best of me each time I step up to the paper.
My favorite subject is portraits of people doing tasks. I especially enjoy finding everyday people that are often not celebrated in our culture and discovering the intrinsic beauty that they possess. I want my portraits to reflect movement, personality and character so that my viewer will recognize them. I want those that see my work to say, “That looks like someone I know” and perhaps that someone is themselves.
I begin with an image, usually a photograph that connects to me. Perhaps it is a group of people, of children or a couple sitting together. What I look for is a connection that tells a story for the viewer. Like Leroy Neiman and Andrew Wyeth, I look for figures and portraits that give voice to a person’s life, their journey and their nature. After sketching the composition, I often take several trial runs through the painting to determine the palette that I want to use that best suits the composition. I play with the aspect ratio so that the subject is placed in the most provocative place in the painting where the viewer is drawn into the story that I am trying to share. I adjust the values to affect the mood that I want the painting to convey. Once those important details are finalized, I paint the subject for the final time enjoying all that the process has gleaned for me.
I learn a great deal from contemporary masters of the medium such as Dean Mitchell, Ted Lawson, Janet Rogers and Thomas W. Schaller. Each of these artists have influenced me by their use of line, value, structure and composition. I’ve watched these artists’ work and I look forward to painting on their level as I continue to develop my personal style.
My intention for 2019 is to continue accepting portrait commissions and approach galleries that are interested in presenting my work.
Maurie Traylor
Winter 2019
My favorite subject is portraits of people doing tasks. I especially enjoy finding everyday people that are often not celebrated in our culture and discovering the intrinsic beauty that they possess. I want my portraits to reflect movement, personality and character so that my viewer will recognize them. I want those that see my work to say, “That looks like someone I know” and perhaps that someone is themselves.
I begin with an image, usually a photograph that connects to me. Perhaps it is a group of people, of children or a couple sitting together. What I look for is a connection that tells a story for the viewer. Like Leroy Neiman and Andrew Wyeth, I look for figures and portraits that give voice to a person’s life, their journey and their nature. After sketching the composition, I often take several trial runs through the painting to determine the palette that I want to use that best suits the composition. I play with the aspect ratio so that the subject is placed in the most provocative place in the painting where the viewer is drawn into the story that I am trying to share. I adjust the values to affect the mood that I want the painting to convey. Once those important details are finalized, I paint the subject for the final time enjoying all that the process has gleaned for me.
I learn a great deal from contemporary masters of the medium such as Dean Mitchell, Ted Lawson, Janet Rogers and Thomas W. Schaller. Each of these artists have influenced me by their use of line, value, structure and composition. I’ve watched these artists’ work and I look forward to painting on their level as I continue to develop my personal style.
My intention for 2019 is to continue accepting portrait commissions and approach galleries that are interested in presenting my work.
Maurie Traylor
Winter 2019