Art, Food And Other Indulgences

I'm a self-taught oil painter and cook. Occasionally I post some fun creation that I'd like to share. See more of my art at marykamerer.com

[marykamerer]

This painting, “Taking Flight,” reminded me of spending time with my father. He was a thoughtful Italian man and very sentimental and I enjoyed spending time with him doing unconventional things like visiting flea markets and the cemetery where his relatives were all buried. Although he was raised in a traditional home, he once told me that, if there was such a thing as reincarnation, he wanted to come back as a bird. He thought it would be wonderful to have the ability to soar freely above the rest of the world. Many years after he died, I occasionally would look up and see a lone hawk circling above me and I’d fondly remember that comment, hoping he was still connected with me in that beautiful way. I happened to tell that story to my elderly mom and surprisingly said, “Well, me too! If you see two birds, that’s me and Dad.” Now that she’s gone, this painting makes me think there’s so many of them now watching me. #birdsofinstagram #birdpainting #beachdecor #coastalliving #freeasabird #freebird #seagull #takeflight #lookupchild #marykamerer @dilworthartisanstation #blueskies (at Dilworth Artisan Station) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8cN3Rhpzu-/?igshid=1ud90l7i314jp

[marykamerer]

View this post on Instagram

Just a peek at what’s on my easel. I will be working on this during the crawl tomorrow night. Come take a look and see how I work—love to share my process! 6-9 pm 118 E Kingston Ave. Studio #29. #theartofslowliving #seekthesimplicity #onmyeaseltoday #thehappynow #creativeprocess #carveouttimeforart #morningslikethese #abeautifulmess #birdsinflight #doitfortheprocess @dilworthartisanstation #marykamerer #southendclt #paintingvideo #beachdecor #artcrawl (at Dilworth Artisan Station) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8PXIOQJCEg/?igshid=wo6f1a2gpgae

[marykamerer]

This 48” x 48” oil painting, “Iconic Charlotte” will be available through the Art with Heart Auction on Feb 29. This is a wonderful chance to support victims of domestic violence, hang out with fun artists and acquire original pieces of art for your home or office. See my bio or my website under “events” for tickets. #charlotteevents #charlottenc #704events #charlottelocalartist #domesticviolencesupport #artistsgivingback #charlottesgotalot #cltevents #marykamerer @dilworthartisanstation (at Dilworth Artisan Station) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8MZ538J9L0/?igshid=1qrn6kvyt86wk

[marykamerer]

Good morning! Something I rarely do—show a shot of my art hanging in my own home! I picked this one up yesterday from a show and thought it might look good over my mantle for a bit. (And with my winter decorations still up.) The painting is available nonetheless. 😊. #oilpaintingoncanvas #installshot #marykamerer #whiteroses #rosesofinstagram #bouquetofroses #neutraldecor #interiordesigninspo @dilworthartisanstation #availableart #artforyourhome (at Charlotte, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8ERRUipIfM/?igshid=51xqkodv830d

[marykamerer]

How does the saying go...something old, something new, something abstract and something blue? That was my studio today. Some things just can’t be pushed into a corner for too long in a small studio. Oh well.. it forces me to revisit some old “friends” and fiddle with them again. Getting ready for my crawl on Friday, Feb 7. #abeautifulmess #studioscenes #onmyeaseltoday #alittlebitofeverything #workinprogressart #dilworthartisanstation #artistlife #inmystudiotoday #marykamerer (at Dilworth Artisan Station) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7-EyP7J_6K/?igshid=1jgr3g3m6y2ba

[marykamerer]

I love the idea of very different paintings using a very similar color palette. It’s not unusual for a painter to have a favorite color palette, but I think it’s interesting to do completely different genres of paintings with the same color palette. In my first image, I have a reclining nude, painted with primarily blues and browns. And there they are again in the hills of a sunset-lit dune. (There’s a great similarity in the hills and curves here, too!) The next photo is my recent marsh and an abstracted still life I’m working on. They two paintings are quite different genres, yet the manganese blue is becoming the dominant color in the abstract. #onmyeaseltoday #landscapes #abstract #stilllifepainting #nude #sanddunes #femaleform #marshpainting #color_captures #artforyourhome #learnnewthings #dilworthartisanstation @dilworthartisanstation #marykamerer #oilpaintingsoncanvas #womenoilpainters (at Dilworth Artisan Station) https://www.instagram.com/p/B71xYf6JFZ9/?igshid=1fek0j39l1rw6

[marykamerer]

Ok, I’m going to jump on the #dollypartonmemechallenge here. YES, that’s me in all photos. YES, I can get all the paint cleaned off when I need to. YES, I’m happily married (for over 30 years). NO, I do not have a Tinder account. #notalwaysahag #dollyparton #socialmediaisntreallife #marykamerer #creativelife #taketimetolaugh (at Charlotte, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7wzyJ7JyE6/?igshid=10esj5q3yjl40

[marykamerer]

I’m not sure what we were discussing, but there was a lot of finger-pointing. So fun catching up with North Carolina artists Sara Edelman and Hilda Spain today. Even with the phone juju. #womenartists #womenartistsofthesouth @hildaspainpainter #northcarolinaartists #creativefriends #italkwithmyhands (at Charlotte, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7t8mZgJv6Z/?igshid=1puyw80hu3sli

[marykamerer]

I’ve been working on this large piece for the last couple of weeks. Finding subtle colors where there were none in the original reference image (thank you, @tidewater_photo ) was a fun challenge. Having painted a colorful marsh here and there, it was interesting to paint soft colors and values this time around. I think I hear bullfrogs. #foggymorning #marsh #marshpainting #lowcountryart #wetlands #designerinspo #interiordesigninspiration #focalpoint #carolinaliving #coastallivingmagazine (at Dilworth Artisan Station) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7tnqdgpgyb/?igshid=76no4kp7715e

[marykamerer]

Some of the colorful details... #detailsmatter #colorfuldetails #specialtouches #impressionist #womenpaintersofthesoutheast #oilpaintingoncanvas #paletteknife #marykamerer #bladesofgrass @dilworthartisanstation (at Dilworth Artisan Station) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7rImTMJ4qn/?igshid=1s06y0ddqljk3

[marykamerer]

My smallest and my largest for @taraleaver ‘s #21daysinmyartworld The lemon painting is a 5” x 5” that I use for my logo. It was the first painting that I felt that I understood my palette knife, values and texture. The largest painting (so far) is a diptych called “Scars are Golden”. It is 48” x 96”. It will be part of a Komen fundraiser designer house next month. I’m really excited to have this large painting seen on such a large scale! #bigpaintingchallenge #createeveryday #pursuepretty #scarsaregolden #lemonstilllife #susanbkomen #designerhouse #createartdaily #artistic_share #oilpaintingstilllife https://www.instagram.com/p/B7ojxrRp4Wh/?igshid=hbydhoz8jb3r

[marykamerer]

My smallest and my largest for @taraleaver ‘s #21daysinmyartworld The lemon painting is a 5” x 5” that I use for my logo. It was the first painting that I felt that I understood my palette knife, values and texture. The largest painting (so far) is a diptych called “Scars are Golden”. It is 48” x 96”. It will be part of a Komen fundraiser designer house next month. I’m really excited to have this large painting seen on such a large scale! #bigpaintingchallenge #createeveryday #pursuepretty #scarsaregolden #lemonstilllife #susanbkomen #designerhouse #createartdaily #artistic_share #oilpaintingstilllife (at Charlotte, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7oje4NpZRb/?igshid=1jzfq5rdjgn9m

[marykamerer]

View this post on Instagram

A little update for you. Are you surprised? I hope to be working on this during my next crawl on Feb 7 (6-9 pm). Come watch. #onmyeasel #timelapseart #oilpaintingvideo #womenwhopaint #charlotteartist #dilworthartisanstation #southendclt (at Dilworth Artisan Station) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7mXMCsJWu-/?igshid=sv2987mu9fxo

[marykamerer]

I’m now able to share this special install shot. The top butterfly painting was purchased by a woman whose husband surprised her with the other one for Christmas. They are looking so great together in their new home! The monarch butterfly was used on the cover of Ballantyne Magazine and was headed to a showhouse soon. What a nice surprise! #butterflyart #monarchbutterfly #bluemorpho #installshot #ballantyne @ballantynemag #marykamerer @dilworthartisanstation #originalartwork (at Charlotte, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7g8GVWpyMd/?igshid=1wv1o7wwoo1by

[marykamerer]

I used to belong in our neighborhood book group, but when I started painting, my time for extraneous reading material was minimized. These days, my reading time is relegated to art books it seems. A @taraleaver challenge for #21daysinmyartworld is to share my favorite art books. Of course, the virtual bible to any painter is master impressionist painter @richardschmid ‘s Alla Prima. This is a book you digest one page—one paragraph—at a time, as it is chocked full of information. I was able to find an out-of-print first edition through a used book store, but there’s Alla Prima II and his current release, My Still Life Art. The loose brushwork and light on his subjects is spectacular. Could you imagine taking a workshop from him??!! (Admittedly, I’m a big fan and have a printed IG message from him above my desk. Don’t judge.). Another book that I just started is @jamesgurneyart’s Color and Light. This is more for the realist painter, but I’m liking the art history as well as the fundamentals he covers. I can see this becoming quite a handy reference book for any art student and established painter. He references his prior fantasy book Dinotopia throughout, which I haven’t read, but his knowledge and skill are undeniable and written in a way that’s easy to understand. (He includes a fun personalized door hanger when you buy the book from him directly). Both books are on my nightstand when not in my studio. #artbooks #artbookstagram #artnerd #onmynightstand #favoritebooks #favoriteartbooks #richardschmid #jamesgurney (at Charlotte, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7ga2b1p16e/?igshid=r1wm6aey3bv0

[marykamerer]

One of the prompts for @taraleaver’s #21daysinmyartworld this week is #toolsofthetrade. I certainly have my favorite brushes, rubber-tipped tools and palette knives. I’ve used an old credit card and off-set #cakedecorating spatula at times. Did I mention about the #cement trowel I had my handyman file down? (Apparently they are pretty darn hard to grind down. 🤷🏻‍♀️). But my best no-brainer, made-my-life-so-much-easier tool was the cheapo plastic squirt bottle that I put my painting medium in. You can get them in food supply stores or even dollar stores. I mix up a large quantity and pour it into squeeze bottles to keep on my tabouret. #arttips #arttipsandtricks #myfavoritethings #dollarstorefinds #notjustforketchup #artisttools (at Charlotte, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7d-WY9JbBK/?igshid=vgytx9ij500e

[marykamerer]

View this post on Instagram

So I thought I’d share my block in today. I find it’s important for me not to get ahead of myself and paint my final colors yet. These are going to change, but I do want a little peeking through. I’m also trying to keep my paint thin here. I like the dreamy watercolor look to it though, don’t you? (By the way, I do not own the rights to this song, “Cappuccino”, but I would love one right now.) #videopainting #startingapainting #paintingdemo @dilworthartisanstation #paintingvideos #timelapseart (at Dilworth Artisan Station) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7bxXzRpsi-/?igshid=1q4izj0rok8n