Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Kinzelberg.
Hi Mary, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Ever since I can remember, I was doing some kind of creativity but I was not into drawing. Making doll clothes, crafts mostly at camp. I wasn’t encouraged in my home but we had art in all grades at school. I was in the process of getting my teaching credential when I made my first painting in an art training class for teachers. The professor encouraged me to do more painting. I took many drawing, painting, design, Ceramics and drafting classes. I worked in various fields of creativity: jewelry design, landscape design, floral and gift basket design all along painting and taking art classes when I could. Finally getting my own studio seven years ago after painting on the floor in our TV room. I had sold paintings sporadically throughout the years but didn’t just concentrate on a painting career until I could spread out in my own space. I sell through art fairs, word of mouth and the internet. I always continue learning more through classes, going away to workshops and other artists. I have permanent shows in three locations: Beverly Hills, Las Vegas and Palm Springs. I will be showing my garden in September. My passion is Expressionist Abstract Paintings but I also do Abstract Representational Paintings. I do commissions also. I love to work on large Canvases up to eight feet and would work larger if I had the room. Color, nature and my true emotions are what inspire me. I am lucky to have traveled the world to bring those experiences into my work.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
My road has been full of velvet miles mixed in with hard and rough bumps and sharp turns. Discovering my love for painting after a short while was met with an abrupt stop when I lost my husband very young when our son was three years old. I put the painting aside for a few years but started making my business in creating hats and floral designs while teaching part-time in order to be present for my baby. In dibs and dabs, I would paint mostly copying other works of artists mostly impressionists or anyone I liked. We lived three blocks from an art school so I started taking some classes after a while.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m 76 and I’m proud I continue to sell art, do shows and learn as much as possible to be a better artist. The more I learn the more there is to learn. I will travel as far as possible for a specific teacher or method of painting. I specialize in art that is abstract coming from an intuitive place. I never know what the outcome will be because I don’t have a specific way I always work. My tools, art supplies and painting tell me what is needed and above all, my heart that spills out on the canvas. I don’t say today I’m making a red and yellow painting for example. I start writing my feelings on the canvas with any kind of writing tool so I meditate by writing onto the canvas not sitting or laying down like most meditation. I write all directions until I get out what is inside of me even overlapping words and usually not taking my writing instrument off the page-turning the canvas in different ways if needed. It can take a minute or 20 minutes to write. This sparks my creativity to start my work expressing what is necessary inside of me to create. I’m most proud when a painting is finished and I enjoyed the process of getting there.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My supporters have been family, friends and friends of family and friends. My teachers have been caring, knowledgeable and interesting. My husband and son have been my biggest cheerleaders by helping physically setting up or taking down shows but emotionally encouraging me through ups and downs. My assistant helps me do things that I would not be able to do and would take time away from creating. She is a very big advocate also. I probably wouldn’t do this business without her help. Selling to clients has been fun, supportive and feels amazing. I have loved teaching art to a young girl next door and hope to continue now after a long time because of COVID. She sees and creates like I wish I could without voices in my head that can be hard on me. I have friends that are artists and have a great time getting together to paint.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Marykinzelberg.com
- Instagram: @marykinzelberg
- Facebook: Marykinzelbergpaintings
Image Credits:
Chelsea Ford. Photographer
