maevecroghan.com | Please contact the artist by email or by phone at (231) 215-0399 or (707) 937-3475 for more information, or to purchase a painting.
Maeve’s deep connection with her subject is integral to her painting. Her paintings are begun outside in plein air, where she closely observes and feels the environment as she paints. Maeve completes her paintings in the studio, without the use of photos. Her personal interpretations , or “Nature Portraits” are collected widely throughout the country.
Maeve is represented by the SFMOMA Gallery in San Francisco, as well as the Mendocino Auberge Gallery in Little River, Ca. & the Rebecca V Gallery in Tacoma, WA.
STATEMENT
My paintings are usually begun outside in nature. This process of being out in the environment I am painting is very important for my art. I usually sit on the ground, intensely observing and painting my subject. There, I am able to gain a deep communion with my subject and its environment. This is essential for my art and me.
Once outside I find a subject to paint which has meaning for me. The ocean’s mighty strength, the beauty and delicateness of a wildflower, an intense sky are all my subjects. Often though, I am particularly attracted to old forms of life; aged trees, vines and rocks seem to possess a
knowledge beyond human understanding.
My paintings are completed in the studio. At this point, I work from memory and feeling. As the work evolves, it sometimes changes from the original scene, taking on its own life. The painting eventually becomes a symbol of my experience with the environment. There is a communion with each environment which always remains with me.