Inspiration From the Desert: TEXTURE and PATTERN!

Blurred Mojo, 36"x48"x2", acrylic, Dura-Lar on cradled panel, 2017 copyright Mary Zeran

I first became aware of how much I loved texture in Seattle.

During that time, I didn't have a physical studio. At first, I made most of my art on the bus. Eventually, I switched  I noticed was texture was a very useful tool for designing gardens and picking fabric for a room.

Everyone who's ever gardened knows that after the blooms are gone, texture becomes the star. The best gardens include different sizes and shapes of leaves to create different sections of texture. A large patch of grass next to a patch of daisies creates contrast that gives a late season garden something subtle to ponder.

Looking at my reference photos, I realized many were devoted to leaf texture. I especially like them when they're dried. There's something about that process that creates even more variation in texture.

​There's a direct connection between what I see in nature and what comes out the end of my brush. Of course color aways brings something to the party, but notice how easy it is to see the texture and pattern when we look at these photos in black in white.

Exploring what happens when I combine two patterns together is a recent challenge. Transparency makes it possible for me to really push things and create new textures.