A new art exhibit in our Main Gallery opens Tuesday, October 1st, and features the paintings of Mary Baker of Wakefield, NE. Her show is titled “Experiencing Life’s Changing Seasons.”
Her interest in art began when she was in about the third or fourth grade. She had a great teacher in a small-town country school who taught the children in school how to draw animals using circles and squares. That got her started doodling on paper, which prompted her uncle to nickname her “Doodles.”
As a self-taught artist, her earliest works could be found on the walls of the Wakefield roller rink. From there she progressed to oil painting on canvas and eventually changed to acrylic painting, which she prefers. She has discovered black canvas and much of the work on display in this exhibition have been done on black canvas.
Her subjects often come from nature such as trees, plants, and birds. She has photographed many different scenes and animals to use as inspiration. She hopes that while viewing her artwork visitors will experience the changes that she has had over the years. She states “With age, you see things differently. At the age of 80, I enjoy looking back at earlier pieces and remembering the places and people that were my inspiration.” By sharing her work, she hopes to inspire others to try their hand at art and find enjoyment in their own creations.
