I grew up on the East End of Long Island in Wading River, New York. I have
always been involved in some form of art medium. I spent countless hours
roaming the beaches; observing and enjoying the beauty the island had to offer.
Through a lifelong interest in photography, I have collected images that I use as a
reference in my paintings. I am always searching for images that capture the mood
of the places I have traveled, whether it is a dramatic sky, flowers in a field or a
cricket on a board.
During my early schooling I was always involved in art projects. These included
enameling, pottery, collage and drawing. At Suffolk Community College and Buffalo
State College I pursued a degree as a BFA major in printmaking. Moving to
Oregon in the mid 1970’s, I completed my degree in Clothing, Textile and Related
Arts at Oregon State University. I studied textile design, graphic design and
dabbled in basketry, felting, weaving and fabric printing.
Through the years I have also worked with watercolors, colored pencils, pastels
and woodcuts. I found that oils and acrylics allow for a fluid and natural expression
of my art. Painting allows me to capture the world in the way I envision it as an
artist.
Many of my paintings are influenced by the many hours spent hiking, biking,
paddling, cross country skiing, camping in and around the East Coast and Pacific
Northwest. Those experiences supply the imagery that I am drawn to when
painting. Blooms showing off their colors, skies creating drama from above,
animals and birds caught on film, are the images that supply the inspiration for my
paintings.
Maureen Zoebelein
tmzob@gmail.com
- this artist from washington county -