CoRK NORTH, STUDIO G

Mary O. Smith received her Bachelor of Design in 1982 from Louisiana State University. In her professional years working for an architectural firm as an interior designer, she developed a quick architectural rendering style to convey ideas to clients which lead her to the love of plein air painting.

Mary O. is a member of Plein Air Painters of the Southeast, Signature Member of Southern Watercolor Society, Georgia Watercolor Society, and Tallahassee Watercolor Society. She is a founding and current board member of Pines & Palms. She was invited to be faculty at Plein Air South in 2021 and Ambassador for the Forgotten Coast Plein Air event in Apalachicola in 2022. She is one of the featured artists for the High Cotton Paint Out in Thomasville, GA. She enjoys sharing her love of painting and the inspiration of Southern subjects; boats, oaks with moss, historical landmarks.

Mary O. will say that her highest achievement thus far is winning the Artist Choice Award at the Shadows on the Teche event 2021. She won Louisiana Beauty Award 2023 at the Shadows event. Her motto that she tries to reinforce as of late, is “A little planning is planning to succeed”.

Artist Statement

As an artist. I am always reaching for the next level of growth and expressing myself through color and form using subject matter. I have gained a wealth of knowledge through the teachings of accomplished artists and through my own work in the studio and plein-air painting. I hope through my own teaching I can inspire other artists to reach their goals. I start each painting with a plan of values and shapes to achieve the composition that reveals my feelings and inspirations of the scene. Whether painting in oil or watercolor, I am figuring out the best method for designing my work. I want my work to have expressive lines and movement, but through a well thought out format. I love painting in plein-air. It comes with many challenges: weather conditions, hot or humid, cold and windy. I love creating a painting that coveys something about the day that I encountered and the shapes that caught my attention. I use the moment to inspire me.

Living near the gulf coast has a wealth of marine subjects; working boats, shrimp boats, boats in dry storage. Moss covered oaks are among the wonderful subjects of the area. With a background in architectural rendering, finding an interesting building is just an added bonus. I fall in love with each area that I paint.

You can find more of her work in oils, watercolor, and gouache on her website, www.maryosmith.com.

Facebook: Studio by Mary O

Instagram: @mary.o.smith

Email: maryo@maryosmith.com