Today we’d like to introduce you to Marie McKenzie.
Hi Marie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Deeply rooted in the natural world, my work is a reflection of time, place and the people I have met along the way. Growing up in the heartland, my four brothers and I had big imaginations, with plenty of land behind our house to roam freely. My mom would say “As long as the five of us were together.” These early memories of adventuring down the creek and watching the billowing grasses connected me to nature with tenderness.
From waving tall grass-inspired paintings and wooden sculptures in Kansas to tall trees and ocean wave paintings in California, my partner and I moved over 5 years ago. My art shifted in early 2021 when I learned that Northern California had lost 90% of its bull kelp. Staggering, right? As I learned more about the vulnerability and power of kelp, I saw the sequoias of the sea as hopeful — an ocean solution and a superhero of our planet.
For the last two years, my fascination with kelp has grown and I am eager to celebrate kelp through creating steam-bent wooden installations “kelp forests” and oil paintings. I place sustainability at the heart of my practice. My oil painting, reproductions and wood sculptures honor the natural world with an emphasis on quality materials and being earth friendly. My sculptures are created with reclaimed/renewable materials FSC certified wood and my painting surfaces are built with sustainable certifications. I have an off-grid studio powered by solar panels. I partnered with SeaTrees, a California-based non-profit to aid in kelp regeneration through donating a portion of the proceeds from all of my kelp-inspired artwork. As seen through communities coming together around the globe, anything is possible to make a positive impact on our oceans and the world.
In 2024 I am grateful to be planning a solo show at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum and I am dreaming big. I am currently looking for funding to set out to build my largest kelp forest installation to date. The installation will span almost two stories, from floor to ceiling and will fill the gallery space with a forest one can walk through.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Difficult to speak of as I attempt to answer this challenging question. All of the obstacles one will face in pursuing a dream. Imposter syndrome, not knowing if I will make enough money to pay rent. I tell myself that I will be able to afford the canvases, I tell myself it will happen because I am working hard because I am following my dreams and listening to my heart. It is the hardest moments that I believe are the tests. When the ship is sinking, for me it becomes about being alright with being vulnerable and speaking to my fears with love. Every time I begin to worry – it seems something lands in my lap, a large commission or sale, an angel offering aid, a message from the universe telling me to keep going. Dreams do come true especially with all of the help from everyone who has been there for me along the way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Guided by time spent in nature and with a personal interest in pattern and motion, I respond. Through oil painting, fleeting memories of my travels appear and then soften as I welcome the intuitive visions of an underwater world. In the woodshop, the feeling of wood fibers bending beneath my hands is a joy. These experiments become new forms of movement, mimicking an ocean current by working with the unpredictable results of the living salvaged wood. All of my creative processes are acts of meditation. In my most recent work, I am engaged in creating paintings and sculptures inspired by kelp and our coastal ecosystems.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I feel very fortunate for all of the support I have received along the journey. My family has always believed and encouraged my art, enrolling me in art classes early, and have been my cheerleader through the years including when I feel the most down and out. I have a partner that stands by my side when I have meltdowns and is my rock. Artists I have worked for and admire, Jane Kim and Tanya Kovaleski are huge mentors that rally for me. Teachers really stand out as lighting the fire early. Art communities and especially the Ojai Studio Artists, have been huge in support, kindness and community. I tell everyone that ‘The Artist’s Way,’ book by Julia Cameron changed my life, bringing to light everything that was holding me back and also helping me to realize that I am not alone on this journey.
Honestly, about every person I have met along the way, we are a reflection of each other’s great generosity, love and light. There are hundreds, if not thousands of wonderful souls out there that do so much, maybe without even knowing it. A smile, a helping hand, sending a comforting message, buying/commissioning artwork and prints, engaging on social media, every little bit really helps make it all possible.
Pricing:
- Limited Edition Giclee Prints on Bamboo Paper: $70-128
- Oil paintings – Small to medium $700-1800
- Oil paintings – Medium/large $2500-$4000
- Oil paintings – Large $5000 +
- Sculpture – 2400 +
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mariemckenzie.com
- Instagram: @mariemckenzieart
- Facebook: @mariemckenzieart
Image Credits
Britt Bloom Photography
