Small Works, Small Wonders

How often have we heard that good things come in small packages? The next question is “How small is small?” In the case of the painting, Sapowet Trees, we have a painting of a beautiful, full landscape done in a 2.5” x 3.5” space.  The scene itself is simple and of the type one might see while out for a drive. Like much of what passes by our car windows as scenery, it leaves a pleasant feeling and a vague general memory. However, when considering this tiny painting, something else happens. The viewer gets drawn into the detail that takes this condensation of a grand landscape and translates it into such a small space.

Mary grew up traveling. Her father was in the Army, so the family experienced France, Hawaii, and Japan before settling in Maryland. She has vivid memories of the vineyards of France, the hills of Oahu, and the colorful kimonos of Japan. With a mother who was an artist, it was quite natural for Sexton to experience the museums in Baltimore and in Washington, D.C., where she especially loved the Corcoran Collection. As a young woman, she graduated from art school and moved to New York where she continued her studies at the Art Students League, School of Visual Arts, Pratt, and the American Museum of Natural History.  Her career was in the field of graphic design, and she has been a graphic designer/art director since 1978. In 2005 she took up oil painting again, added pastels to that repertoire in 2010, and gouache in 2021. Mary paints landscapes, still lifes, human figures, and animal portraits. Landscape holds a special place in her heart, especially since moving to Colorado in 2016. Her favorite sizes are small, very rarely larger than 9x12.