Fisher College of Business

Indian Summer
higher resolution 60Kb

Mixed media on board, 60" x 26"
Schottenstein Dean's Suite
Reception 201A

Mary Beam is an elected member and Dolphin Fellow of the American Watercolor Society. Among her awards is the society's 1996 Gold Medal of Honor. An Ohio native and resident, Beam also maintains a studio in a restored log cabin in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Most intriguing and fascinating to me are the textures one finds in nature. I have studied nature closely to understand how she creates these textures through her natural processes of sedimentation, erosion, and the constant give and take of the seasons. I use material such as acrylics, graphite, and sand, and techniques such as resists and printing, to portray and imitate these phenomena. From my studio window in the mountains, I can respond to changes in nature and bring together the textures and colors I see. In Indian Summer, I used a layering technique, with the underpainting representing the earth. The fall colors were then added, and finally interference paints were washed over other layers to represent the frost. I also imitate the way nature creates by flowing large passages of water and paint and letting this action work as it may. I add design elements to resolve and create a visual path for the viewer.