mary ann bennett
oil, mixed media and monotypes
Mary Ann Bennett recieved her BFA in painting from Southern Methodist University in 1988. Her undergraduate studies included a semester abroad in Provence, France, with the Cleveland Institute of Art.
artist statement
mary ann bennett
After Graduating, she accepted portrait commissions for more than 10 years, while also creating a body of her own paintings. She has shown in galleries on Canyon road and her work hangs in hundreds of private collections.
A Zen Buddhist practioner for over 17 years, Bennett considers that painting evolves quite naturally from her meditation practice. "When we are quiet for awhile, we can can really start to see, and be in awe of the ordinary," she says. "I'd like to capture a piece of that in my work, to show why these moments matter and not let all of them slip past, unregarded."
Color is at the heart of Bennett's paintings. " My psyche intrisically connects with colors." She says, "and my work is primarily about the relationship I have with color. I also love to toggle between realism and abstraction.
" People tell me that my paintings make them feel happy," she continues, " many of my paintings read as 'happy', even when I have painted them out of saddness and pain. I do see inherent beauty and connection in things, and believe that underneath all of our personal coverings lies that inherent joy in the heart.
