Fine artist Mary L. Hoffman turned painting into a career. She shares her knowledge with others in plein air workshops scheduled around the area.
F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n, g o t o m a r y h o f f m a n n e a r t.co m.
REGAN: You’ve been painting since the age of 3, so you knew early on you would be an artist. How did you know that and how did your artistic path evolve?
HOFFMAN: I have simply always loved drawing and painting. Both parents are talented in painting and drawing so when they recognized my passion, they didn't quench it. I believe wholeheartedly each of us was born with a special plan and purpose that only we can truly carry out.
I've tried other "careers" (working as an art consultant in galleries, for example) which I thought might make me more money on which to live, but my heart was sad and unfulfilled!
Finally, it was like God whispered to me, "I gave you this gift (talent) for a reason, I want you to use it."
R: Oil on linen is your main medium and you're mostly known for your portraiture art.
H: The portrait and the human figure fascinate me. I've also worked in other mediums like charcoal, watercolor and PrismaColor Pencil (colored pencil) portraits, but oil is my favorite. Drawing portraits during summer breaks and holidays for money helped finance my art school career at the Cleveland Institute of Art.
I used to hold "art classes" during our free time in the third grade to my fellow classmates.
In high school, I was the one drawing all the portraits of faculty and students during special recognition events and I’d do the backdrops for high school plays and musicals.
Wanting to try all mediums and styles, I've just fallen in love with the "juiciness" and richness of traditional oil paint. After art school, a political science professor from the University of Dayton knew of my love of the portrait and commissioned me to paint the founding fathers of that department, Brother Rose (who was living when the unveiling occurred, so I was able to meet him) and Brother Liebler. These men were commemorated as the founders of the Political Science Department with portraits I painted. As far as I know, they still hang in the St. Joseph's Building.
R: You have a "Plein Air Workshop" you will give from May 30-June 2. What is plein air art? What has been your favorite thing to paint so far?
H: This is when my painting skills blossomed! Painting "En Plein Air" is French for painting out in the open air. The Impressionists revolutionized where an artist is supposed to produce their work (studio work went outside). "Life" seemed to breathe into my work here. Plein Air painting taught me how to "see" color in the shadows and how to get the big notes of information down quickly as the sun moves and the weather changes.
My upcoming workshop will be held in downtown Charleston moving around to the neighborhoods and nearby villages. The group will have a "meet & greet" on Tuesday evening, May 29, the night before the real work begins.
The Hagan Fine Art Gallery & Studio is my local representation and they feature an artist once a month on "First Fridays" — I was featured in October.
Earlier last year, I came back from San Diego from the Plein Air Conference & Expo (PACE) and was overtaken by the beautiful landscape of the West Coast! I had to feature a couple paintings from my visit to La Jolla and Half Moon Bay south of San Francisco.
I love painting coastal lands. The mountains make my heart sing as does the ocean. Mostly, what is so captivating is how the shapes and colors of the landscape are affected by the light of its region.
I paint what strikes me and is always light.
Light affects everything. I suppose I paint my heart's interpretation of what is speaking to me.
My most recent favorite work (aside from portraiture) is the largest painting I have yet painted. It is 48 by 60 and it is of a very large oak tree on the edge of a piece of land on Johns Island overlooking the marsh/creek.
It is the family farm of a dear friend and the story that goes along with the painting is dear, tragic, sweet and nostalgic.
The oak represents decades of storms it has weathered and the branches it has offered to the children who grew up climbing and sitting and playing on them. This family went through their own major storms (nine siblings), too.
R: Were you part of the April 21 "Artields Portrait Painting Contest" in Lake City?
H: Yes, I brought home the Blue First Place Ribbon!
It was terrifying and exhilarating. We made it a "family day." My husband and 15-year old daughter and 9-year old son experienced it with me for the first time as a family. I usually do these things alone and it was perfect. I briefly blogged about it on my website. Artfields creates a video to document the entire event and should be released soon: www.artfieldssc.org.
R: Are you trying to locate a space to hold a portrait workshop in the area?
H: I am still looking in the Summerville area
R: What are your next plans?
H: My work is part of an ongoing exhibit at the Hagan Fine Art Gallery & Studio at 177 King St. in Charleston.
I will be participating in the Cashiers Plein Air Festival in Cashiers, North Carolina, in July 16-21, 2018.
A few of us artists are in the planning stages of traveling to teach workshops and to paint in other regions of the states. Hopefully, we will be going to Europe, too in the next year or so.
