Description
53rd Annual Mark Twain Library Art Show
Artist’s Bio:
Margaret Guthrie Van Acker
Born and raised in Connecticut, I spent my youth in the great outdoors. I am happiest outside, seeing the sky, drawing trees, growing plants, looking at insects, and observing the constant changes and vagaries of the natural world.
In art school at Syracuse University, I majored in drawing and sculpture and took all my electives at the nearby College of Environmental Science and Forestry. I embraced drawing and sculpting, but struggled initially with handling paint and color.
After art school I studied horticulture at the University of CT. I spent many years designing, installing, and maintaining gardens. Later I studied education and became an art teacher.
Now that I am older, I seem to have the patience to work at the techniques of painting and color use. I delight in the freedom and immediacy of paint. I love bold mark making and playing with degrees of contrast in order to engage the viewer and to show them what it is I see. I like to create a bit of drama in a painting.
