Marie Wohlfahrt, Lebanon, PA
As an artist who studied chemistry, my process of creation is about finding the correct ratio between the textured effects of the oil-based paints and the elements found on the seashore.
My source of inspiration comes from the memories I have from Brittany, the seascapes from France, and the pictures I receive from my family who still leaves there. Nature, either it is a seashell, a piece of floated wood, sand, seaweeds, mother of pearls, gets a second life, giving to my artworks a third dimension.
I favor bold, bright and energizing colors, but I also need relaxing tones, whites, grays and neutral browns.
Born in a family of artists, my dad, grand-father and aunt were oil painters. Since my childhood, painting has always been part of my life, as much as music and dance were. I studied piano and violin for 8 years and started ballet at the age of 5.
Once graduated from a Chemical Engineering school, I received a master's degree in industrial design. I worked for 2 years in France for a company involved with industrial paints and was offered a position in the USA where I learned paint formulation and the magical world of colors. On a daily basis, I experiment with gloss, special effect pigments and wet on wet applications. What I learn and experiment in this industrial environment, helps me introduce a variety of unusual effects and textures to my oil paintings.
Now leaving in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, my life oscillates between my family, our favorite outdoor activities, travels, and of course fine art painting.
Marie Wohlfahrt
