Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Jabens.
Hi Mary, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I have loved art since I was little… I was sick when I was 12 and my mom bought me a set of oil paints and 5 lessons. I fell in love with painting/color and have pursued it since. My husband encouraged my love of art and kept me going thru good and bad. My first plein air experience was in Glacier Park, Montana with friends. That lead me to take workshops whenever I could and paint on my own in between. I have had mentors throughout my life and each one of their influences have stayed with me in my journey. Every place I have lived I have friends who have encouraged and supported me, that kept me going. My heart lives to paint plein air – being in the outdoors and bringing it life with paint gives me the greatest peace and joy. In the winter, studio painting gets me along until another season to be outdoors. Sharing my world thru my artwork has been a very fun and amazing journey.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My husband’s job required us to move a lot. Not all of the places I have lived inspired me which also meant I didn’t paint for a lot of years instead I created jewelry and other crafts and went to art shows when I could. I had health issues a few years back and since recovering I have been more inspired to do what makes me happy. Since living in Utah and having access to the beautiful places my love of portraying the landscape has taken over. My husband died a few years ago and the path of grief has been a challenge for me on all levels but it has also given me greater depth and feeling in my work.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I retired a year ago and I swear I don’t have as much time as when I worked full-time! I’m not sure how I crammed everything in previously.
I spend the winter trying to stock up on paintings for my galleries. The rest of the year goes by so fast, I barely have time to keep up. I love to plein air paint (not so much in the winter) and when the weather, seasons change, outdoors call me not only to paint but to fly fish too. It’s something my husband I did together for years.
Of course, the best-laid plans – I received an invite to show my work with a friend who is jeweler. The show is in Scottsdale during a horse show in March. That sounded like fun so I added it to my calendar. This also sent me in a direction of painting more desert scenes and I have really enjoyed it. I see this continuing. I have also taken a workshop from David Sharpe in Compositing and Simplifying. It’s just about finished and I have loved it.
I also use the winter to wind down. Take a breath, learn to rest without feeling guilty. I’m sure others go thru the same thing – I stay so busy for so long that guilt become a regular part of my conversations with myself in regards to just not doing anything.
I have a couple of events coming up this winter:
I was invited to exhibit two paintings in the “The Poetry Around Us, Women Who Paint Outdoors” show at the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center in Clarksville, TN. This exhibit runs March 7- May 28th.
I have two paintings in the annual Sears Museum Art Show in St. George. It runs February 19- April 2nd. I love this event and it’s a great fundraiser for them.
I just submitted my donated painting for the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) in Cedar City. This is a fundraiser for them too. The event takes place on May 20th. I’ve been contributing to this show for a few years now. I think it’s important to support our communities and this is one way I can.
So here we are in February, I still have a lot of paintings to do – or maybe I will just sit for a while and enjoy not doing anything!
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I have had several mentors and as my ability progresses their different advice stays with me. My introduction to Plein Air was thru friends and Artist Mark Ogle in Montana. We painted in Glacier National Park and I loved it. Lori Putnam gave me the courage to keep painting, Ron Rencher made me realize that wiping a bad painting only hurts me in a workshop, I need to let the teacher help instead. My friends, though, are the ones who keep me going when I don’t want to, who share well-needed critiques and advice, and are there day to day for the journey. They inspire me.
Pricing:
- 9×12” $700
- 10×20” $1,200
- 14×18” $1,650
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maryjabens.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mary_jabens_art
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/Maryjabensart
Image Credits
Mary Jabens
