Mary Claire Stotler

For me abstract painting is a combination of memories, imagination, and a bit of my soul. I start with a design concept in mind, but it is just the beginning of this emotional journey that evolves on the canvas.

I start by turning on music. The music allows me to dance and move, and it frees me to be happy and paint with a flow of energy that comes out in the brush marks and the pencil lines. What happens on canvas is half the experience, the other half is when the viewer interprets the painting from his experience. There are no right answers to abstract art. The power of art is the effect is has on the viewer.

After I have finished the painting and photographed it, I compare the photos with the versions of the painting. Often, I see how I can make it better. This is part of the adventure. I say to myself “What if I added another layer of color or shape?”, which is why my paintings have a life of their own.

I have been exhibiting for over a decade in The San Francisco Bay area and am recognized for my abstract work in galleries and one women exhibits.