The Art of Mary C. Nasser

I ran across Mary Nasser's  Blog when I was on my maternity leave this winter.  I always get super excited when I meet other art bloggers in St. Louis.  Anyway, I am a huge fan of her mixed media paintings with maps and directional themes.  She blends mixed media painting with thematic text and typography.  So today,  Mary is sharing a little bit about how maps have contributed to her creative process:

Maps are always the very first layer of my painting. I use maps because I love the way they look – their lines, rhythm, movement and patterns. I’m intrigued that maps are tangible, portable guides to places and that they impart information much like a painting…they translate what is three-dimensional into two dimensions.

To create my art, I layer maps and scientific illustrations. I add thick and colorful layers, then wipe, scratch and scrape to reveal underlying sections. All of my art is inspired by nature, especially landscapes and geology. I am captivated by the idea that geological shifts seem to parallel people’s lives and relationships. They are continually changing, varying, shifting and developing.

I know my work will continue to change and evolve, just like the very landscapes that inspire me. My curiosity always gets the best of me, so I keep experimenting by adding additional media and ephemera to my paintings.