Mary Ann Clarendon

What made you choose pastels as a medium? and how long have you been using pastels?

I started taking painting and drawing classes at the local community college in 2008 after my husband and I renovated a spring house structure into a studio. In 2010 I met Lisa Mitchell and was lucky to become a student. Lisa introduced me to pastels, and has been my teacher, friend and mentor ever since. I love the immediacy of pastels, and the many ways you can use pastels to create so many effects. I also work in oils and gouache, but always return to pastels as my "security blanket".

What are your favorite subjects to paint?

My favorite subjects to paint are landscapes, both plein-air and in the studio.

How has your practice changed over time?

I like to keep experimenting and am always open to new ideas. But going back to the basics of design, values, color, and focal point is always the best way for me to start a painting.

What is the best art-related advice you’ve been given?

The best art-related advice I've been given is "Drawing is the Basis of All Art".

What do you wish you’d have known from the beginning, but took years to learn?

It took me years to learn to use photos as a starting point for a design, not as an actual source. The same thing applies to plein-air painting. It's hard, but learning to interpret the subject in as poetic a way as possible is important.

Where do you find inspiration?

Most of my inspiration comes from Nature. Still-life painting is an area that I would like to study further. Portraits are a real challenge for me.

When is your favorite time of day to create?

My favorite time of day to paint is the morning when I have the most energy! But the long shadows of late afternoon are also a lovely time to paint.

How do you develop your art skills?

The best way to develop your art skills is to paint, paint, paint. Painting with a group, such as the Baltimore Plein Air Club, is helpful because of the feedback from other artists. Taking workshops and seeing demos often makes painting principles you've known for years "click" in your brain in a new way.

How do you define success as an artist?

It's nice to have a painting juried into a show or to make a sale. This encourages you to keep working at your art. The real definition of success as an artist for me is when other artists whose work I admire say they really like one of my paintings.