Mardi Howell 
For entertainment as small children, my
siblings and I would spend hours drawing and coloring.
Many different hobbies took time away from any artistic
endeavors for most of my adult life, until a few years ago when I
rediscovered my passion for fine art through the medium of oil
painting. The first year
that I painted, I concentrated on studies of masters such as Monet
and Degas. Then I
ventured out and started to paint my own compositions, starting with
still lives and working into landscape painting outdoors.
My style of painting varies and I love to experiment with
abstract designs.
It is hard to remember back to the place in my life when I
fell in love with art. Perhaps
it was in first grade when I wanted to do a purple (every little
girl’s favorite color) finger painting and was so disappointed
when all I saw on the counter of ou
r c
lassroom were red, yellow, blue, black and white.
My teacher took me by the hand, and we mixed red and blue
together. At that very
moment, I became fascinated with the wonder of color.
I first suspected I had talent when, at the tender age of
seven, I sold my first piece of artwork.
At that age I didn’t seem to mind that it was at my
father’s yard sale, and I received a whole fifteen cents.
You could imagine my delight.
The rest of the story is: the following week at our follow up
yard sale, a sweet old man stopped by to show me that he had framed
my treasured drawing. Well,
that pretty much sealed it for me, and here I am, thirty something
years later, and I’m just as intrigued by color today, and I still
get thrilled when I see a painting of mine framed for the first
time. I suppose the only
thing that has changed is the price of the art!
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