Mary K. Stahl

Artist's Statement

My artistic goal is to record my emotional reaction to a subject, be it a landscape scene or a still life arrangement. As a representational painter I study a landscape or a still life set-up, and then I create my interpretation of that subject on canvas. I strive to convey a sense of beauty in my paintings, and I want my art to uplift the spirit.

California’s golden oak-studded hillsides, majestic
stands of eucalyptus, clear blue skies, foggy mornings, and winter storm clouds simply beg to be captured on canvas, and I willingly oblige by painting them from life, en plein air.
Plein air painting is a unique and exhilarating challenge that has provided me with a good vehicle for creating fresh, spontaneous paintings.

Whether I am painting outdoors or in the studio creating still lifes or larger landscapes from studies, I focus my attention on elements crucial to good art: I work to create a strong composition with a good value structure and I select a range of colors that will ultimately serve to design an art work of poetic beauty and delight.

I have worked hard to hone my skills in a variety of mediums. My choice of medium depends on the subject matter as well as my mood at the time. I am a longtime oil painter, I have painted with soft pastels since 2004, and I am now experimenting with acrylics. Pencil or pen and ink with watercolor is used for sketching.

A Brief Bio

Mary K. Stahl is an award-winning painter who works with
oil paints and soft pastels to record her unique interpretation
of the beautiful California landscape. Mary uses alla prima
techniques and paints in a representational style.

Born and raised in West Virginia, Mary earned a B.A. in Art
from West Liberty State College, located in WV’s northern
panhandle where she received the Outstanding Graduating Senior Artist award. She now lives in Palo Alto, CA. After a long hiatus from the world of fine art, Mary began painting
again in the mid-1990’s.

In addition to her college art education, Mary continues her art studies in the San Francisco Bay area with several well-known artists/educators and has participated in a number of art workshops for both pastel and oil painters.

Mary has participated in one-person and group shows as well as plein air painting competitions. Her paintings are in many private collections throughout the US and Europe.

Selected Exhibitions

• North Tahoe Plein Air. Truckee, CA. Sep 2009.
• PastelsUSA. Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. Jul-Sep 2009.
• Santa Cruz Plein Air Affaire. Jul 2009.
• In Color, In Season. BACPAC exhibition. Los Altos, CA. Dec 2008.
• Seasons of Martis Plein Air Event. Truckee, CA. Oct 2008.
• Pastel Society of the West Coast Member Juried Show. Vacaville, CA. Oct 2008.
• Paint Allied Arts. Sep 2008.
• PastelsUSA. Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA. May 2008.
• History San José. A Breath of Plein Air. San Jose, CA. May - Sep 2008.
• Los Gatos Art Association Annual Open Juried Show. Apr - May 2008.
• Triton Museum of Art. California plein air paintings.
  A Brush with Nature. Jan - Mar 2008.
• California Art Club exhibition. Rivers and Sources/Harbors and Confluences exhibition. Pasadena, CA. Nov 2007 - Jun 2008.
• Los Gatos Art Association Annual Members Juried Show (2006, 2007, 2008). Honorable Mention award 2008.
• BACPAC group exhibition. Moments in Time. Pacifica, CA. Jan - Feb 2007.
• Paint the Parks, 2007. Accepted into "2nd Mini50" category.
• 41st Annual Mother Lode Show. Juried exhibition. Placerville, CA. Aug 2007.
• 40th Annual Mother Lode Show. Juried exhibition. Placerville, CA. Aug 2006. Honorable Mention award.
• San Luis Obispo Plein Air Painting Festival. Juried plein air event, exhibition and auction. Oct 2005.
• Los Gatos Art Fest. Juried plein air event, exhibition and sale. Sep - Oct 2004.
• Silicon Valley Open Studios. May 2004; May 2005.
• SVOS Stars juried exhibition and silent auction. Apr 2004.
• Peninsula Open Studios. Nov 2003.
• VAAST Art Show and Sale, Juried Exhibition,
  Triton Museum, Santa Clara, CA. May 1998.

Affiliations and Representation

American Impressionist Society (AIS)
Bay Area Contemporary Plein Air Circle (BACPAC)
California Art Club, Associate Artist (CAC)
Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA)
Landscape Artists International (LAI)
Los Gatos Art Association (LGAA)
Oil Painters of America (OPA)
Pastel Society of the West Coast (PSWC)
Society of Western Artists (SWA)

Portola Art Gallery, Menlo Park, CA