Mary O'Connell grew up in Rehoboth, MA and now resides in Westford. Since childhood,
she has always had a love of art. In high school she won a gold key award in the
annual Scholastic Art Awards Show in Boston, and was encouraged to pursue further
study. At the college level, Mary was exposed to a wide variety of techniques -- from
painting, printmaking, sculpture, design, and computer graphics. After a break from
art while starting a family, she rediscovered a fondness for pastel and oil painting
and has since concentrated her work in these mediums.
Mary received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Northeastern University, and has studied at
Massachusetts College of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, and the DeCordova Museum
School.
"My work is realistic. I am drawn to a subject by the feeling it evokes within me, and the challenge of rendering that feeling on paper or canvas. Using soft pastels I have the immediacy of drawing and painting simultaneously, and the ability to manipulate color with the simple touch of my fingers. Through this process I feel a personal connection to my art and a sensitivity to communicate the fine details. To me, art is a blend of the way light and color illuminate the ordinary, my personal feelings, and the skills God has given me. In the end, if I have captured the essence of my subject I have achieved success."
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