Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcia Wood Mertinooke.
Marcia, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I grew up in the suburbs of NH and I sometimes think that art was my way of escaping the boredom of that. I was always imagining and creating. I earned my degree in art and I always seemed to be making something, though I never became disciplined about it until after my son was born. Having a baby was like being born again myself; there is no experience like witnessing a child discover the world for the first time, and the opportunity to then discover the world again yourself through that. Since then I have been creating primarily paintings and block prints, and I do this in my home studio around my family’s schedule. I am privileged to have a supportive partner that understands the time it takes to create and appreciates that it is work. And although I’ve been somewhat active in the arts and art community previously, I finally feel like I am creating what will evolve into the work that I am meant to make.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I create oil paintings and block prints, and my work is heavily symbolic. Most people and objects within them are meant to be something other than just a representation of what they are, and generally I try to use my titles as a hint to the underlying messages. I have been exploring the senses of nostalgia, the passing of time, how and what we place importance on, and questions of existence. Combining senses of realism with emotional expressionism, each piece is a version of reality interpreted and invented. I feel that most of my work asks more questions rather than giving answers. What I hope to create are images that are striking to see but that can be touching and even humorous when they are further explored. Since I incorporate nostalgia, I try to inject some sense of being a little less than completely serious about the work to balance that sentimentality.
How can artists connect with other artists?
It can be a challenge to make the effort to go out and find a group of artists to connect with. My advice is to go to other’s open receptions and talk to them. You can also seek out local groups that are established, like the Women’s Caucus for Art, that have chapters across the country. I have even found some local community service groups can use artists in their mission. Don’t confine yourself to strictly ‘artists only’ groups.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My work is in shows from time to time, particularly those of the NH Chapter of the Women’s Caucus for Art. I do have a patreon and I sell my block prints on etsy. For the most part, inquiries about purchasing or commissioning a work can be done through my website or Instagram.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mwmertinooke.com
- Email: marciawood3@yahoo.com
- Instagram: m_w_mertinooke
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/seriousmarcia/
- Other: www.etsy.com/seriousface
Image Credit:
Marcia Wood Mertinooke
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