MARI O'BRIEN, ISAP, UWS, CCWS

I grew up in the grasses of Iowa on a warm summer day, then grew into adventures in many places/spaces over the years. Throughout it all was my passion for learning. Being a kid was fun because I could learn new things every day, including in art (my mom and grandpa were both amateur artists). I eventually figured out that the learning didn’t ever have to stop. In fact, I became a professor so that I could remain a student for the rest of my life and get paid for it!

Twenty years ago -- after 25 years teaching French, comparative literature, women’s studies, and humanities – I returned to the art playgrounds of my youth. Making experimental art keeps me learning and joyful – alive, energized, and engaged – exploring and sharing what unites us as humans.

CV Highlights

I have been exhibiting my work since 2007 and have won several national / International awards. My work has been accepted/juried into over 40 exhibitions and I have had four solo shows. I am a signature member of the International Society of Acrylic Painters, the Utah Watercolor Society, and the Central Coast Watercolor Society.

Highlights

"Rough Music" was juried into the 2017 International Society of Experimental Artists 26th Annual Juried Experimental Art Exhibit

"Flame Dancer" took 1st place in the 2017 International Society of Experimental Artists annual All-Member Virtual Exhibition. This painting also took 1st place in the 2017 Central Coast Watercolor Society's annual Aquarius Open Exhibition, as well as 2nd place in the 2017 International Society of Acrylic Painters 8th Annual Online Open Exhibition.

"Flame Dancer" was also one of 110 winning paintings published in North Light Books’ international acrylics competition AcrylicWorks 5: Bold Values (2018).

Art Media

• Acrylic
• Collage
• Digital
• Ink
• Mixed media
• Photography
• Soft pastel