Maria McKiernan exhibited her work as an Artist of the Week on August 14, 2020.
Gallery
Biography
“I was originally from Massachusetts and came to Alaska in 1979. For a few years I lived in Ketchikan where I was active with the local Art Guild. In 1982, I moved to the valley where my husband and I raised our children. During those years, I taught in the Anchorage School District. Now retired, I find I have time to focus on developing my skills as an artist. Being an artist is a lifelong journey of learning, exploration, challenge, excitement, and sometimes, disappointment. Since childhood, I have been on that journey. I am always exploring the work of other artists and take the opportunity to learn from them directly. I love trying new materials and exploring new techniques that I can apply in my work. Color, light, and emotion draws me to my subjects. Light is the strongest draw of all. It is always a challenge and an inspiration for me. I find beauty in nature, people and simple things around me. Sometimes it is a person caught in an ordinary moment that fascinates me. It is my goal to represent these things on canvas and paper in a way that helps the viewer to see that beauty as well. My greatest motivation to paint is simply joy. I paint because it feeds my soul and makes me happy.”