Gallery Descriptions/Sales
Descriptions of the Galleries: Tide Pools in Peril, The Flowers Are Burning, Earth & Seas At Risk. Purchasing descriptions.
PURCHASING INFORMATION
My paintings are organized in series, described below. Many of the works in these galleries are for sale. All works in the "Archive" galleries have been sold.
To view the price, title and dimensions, click the individual painting, and then click the "i" in the circle on the lower right hand corner. Unless otherwise noted, works are professionally framed in hardwood cherry, and either matted or "floated", and mounted under non-glare museum glass . There are a few that are framed with non-glare plexiglass.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at mkneumannartwork@gmail.com.
All works are original, one of a kind watercolor paintings on Arches 100% cotton rag paper.
I sell my paintings directly from my studio. I have many smaller works available that are not yet on the website. Please email me for purchase information or to arrange a studio visit. My email is: mkneumannartwork@gmail.com
THE FLOWERS ARE BURNING
Floral images in this gallery are flowers that reference the effects of climate change. Using flowers as a metaphor for the power found in unexpected places, they represent beauty and strength that sustains us in the face of adversity. Fields of flowers under big, beautiful skies, ominous storm clouds or fires looming on the horizon, I see flowers as a reflection of the human experience, reflecting the struggle to survive.
Included in this gallery are collaborative paintings created in conjunction with Helen Klebesadel. They are part of our traveling climate justice exhibition The Flowers Are Burning: A Collaborative Art and Climate Justice Exhibition and Project by Helen Klebesadel and Mary Kay Neumann.
TIDEPOOLS IN PERIL
This gallery of tidepool fantasies are my emotional response to the rugged coast of Northern California's intertidal zone. Seemingly fragile tidepools thrive in this beautiful yet harshly violent environment. Appearing as brilliant underwater flower gardens, I am drawn to the contrasts of the brutal sea meeting the shore, which is the natural environment of a healthy ocean. However, due to raising ocean temperatures, water acidification and pollution these critically important and beautiful environments are in crises. Tidepool life is at risk, and one devastating event that appeared in 2013 is SEASTAR WASTING DISEASE.
A matter of great urgency in our oceans is the disaster of seastars dying in the millions. Seastars were my inspiration to learn about and paint tidepools. I hope it is not too late to bring them back from the brink. My "Tidepools in Peril Series" and “Melting Seastar Series” are dedicated to the beauty that can be beheld in this delicate and imperiled ecosystem. I hope to inspire the viewer to cherish ocean life and work for the survival of our fragile natural world.
We can make a difference by supporting government policies that support science. Also needed is support for long-term ecosystem monitoring projects and the researchers and organizations that conduct them. One very important researcher is Dr. Drew Harvell, marine ecologist at Cornell University and author of the brilliant book Ocean Outbreak: Confronting the Rising Tide of Marine Disease. She has been at the forefront of research on the devastating impact disease has on the Ocean. Her research into Sea Star Wasting Syndrome and monitoring the health of marine ecosystems are essential contributions to the scientific community working to protect the seastars and our Oceans. You can contact her here to make a donation.
EARTH & SEAS AT RISK
My Earth & Seas at Risk gallery are works showcasing our beautiful and threatened vistas. I am inspired by woodlands of Wisconsin, red rock canyons and hoodoos of Utah, the moonscapes of South Dakota's badlands. Similarly, the wild seascapes of the Pacific Coast and Great Lakes of the Midwest capture my heart. Nature's drama and mystery speak to me in vivid color. My passion for these beautiful places and wild places move me to advocate changes in attitudes and policies to protect and defend our natural world, which is being threatened by climate change on a massive scale. I often think of the chilling Joni Mitchell lyric:
"We pave paradise and put up a parking lot".
Let's make sure that isn't the legacy we leave future generations.
ARCHIVE GALLERIES
These galleries archive selected paintings that have been purchased, and are held in private, corporate and public collections.
LEAVE IT TO THE POETS
Having said all of the above, I'm moved to quote one of my favorite German Expressionist artists:
"I have an inexplicable yearning to lay hold of what I see and feel and then to find the most direct expression possible for such experience. I only know there are things which neither the intellect nor words can grasp. Actually, if you want to know my honest opinion, I'm convinced you can't talk about art. At best, all you will have is a translation, a poetic paraphrase, and as for that I'll leave to the poets."
-Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, 1914. His work was considered "degenerate" by the Nazi Regime and was forbidden to paint in 1941.