http://voyageatl.com/interview/meet-mary-kamerer/
Meet Mary Kamerer
Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Kamerer.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I’m a Pittsburgh native living in Charlotte, North Carolina. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in English and television production, but soon realized that art was my passion. For over thirty years, I’ve pursued creative arts of all sorts–ceramics, watercolor, stained glass, photography and even completed a one-year goldsmithing apprenticeship–but I still consider myself an emerging oil painter, having been painting for roughly a decade. I’ve been fortunate to study for several years under Andy Braitman and Curt Butler and still occasionally “recharge” with workshops Here and there.
Please tell us about your art.
I feel that artists have a unique opportunity to be activists. When I’m creating my art, I want my viewer to experience the subject in a new way, whether by seeing something new or seeing it with my perspective.
In a recent mixed-media series, “Finding Your Homestead”, I wanted to bring attention to the isolated life of our farm families. I used various collage materials (book pages, maps, textured papers) and textured mediums to emphasize the wide-open spaces surrounding small barns. By leaving some parts of the canvas white, each piece in the series has a rustic, yet contemporary feel.
Another piece, “No Peace in the Queen City” was painted to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Charlotte riots. While the subject matter may make the viewer uncomfortable, it will, hopefully, initiate peaceful, healing conversation. If a viewer comes away from my work thinking, “Wow, I never thought how isolating farm life might be”, or “what is over that hill”, or “how emotional that riot must have been”, then I feel I’ve connected with them.
Choosing a creative or artistic path comes with many financial challenges. Any advice for those struggling to focus on their artwork due to financial concerns?
For me, my artistic career took a backseat to raising my children and conventional work. Although I realized long ago that art was a form of therapy for me, and kept my hand in creative endeavors all along, it wasn’t till my family obligations were settled that I seriously pursued my art career.
My advice to young artists would be to diversify your art education as much as possible to include business and marketing. I would also pursue a less expensive art form and supplies until you can afford better. It is exciting to see how creative artists can be with very few resources!
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I recently had my work seen in the Women’s Caucus for Art in Santa Monica, CA and the OBRA Collective “Resist” Exhibition in Charlotte, NC. One of my “Finding Your Homestead” pieces is currently on exhibit at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics’ Spring Show in Durham. Having won that juried show, I will have a solo show there this time next year. Other than that, you can see my work on my Instagram at @maryckamererart or my website www.marykamerer.com. As an emerging artist, I am just beginning my search for gallery representation.
Contact Info:
Website: www.marykamerer.com
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: Instagram.com/maryckamererart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marykamererart/
Image Credit:
All photos painted by Mary Kamerer
VoyageATL
June
2018
6/6/2018
