Biography

Mary Beth Maisel has been experimenting with artmaking since childhood.  She retains gleeful memories of being introduced to finger painting in the third grade, but it was not until after becoming a widow and single mother at age 45 that she would finally allow herself to follow her dreams of becoming an artist.

Mary Beth Maisel’s artwork emanates from who she is; each piece is a record of her history, her journeys, and her experiences.  Born in Missouri in 1940 to parents of the Depression, an important part of Mary Beth’s daily lifestyle involves learning how to make something out of nothing.  She carries this concept into her artwork and considers it to be one of the most rewarding and successful aspects of what she does.

Through drawing, painting, and sculpture, Mary Beth has learned to see in two and three dimensions.  The study of color added more understanding as she began creating watercolor.

In 2002, she discovered the excitement of monotype printing using a gelatin plate; this process allows her to explore texture, color, shape, and form in layer after layer until she has created a unique piece of work with many layers of depth and meaning.  Her newest work is white-line woodcut which allows her to use her painterly watercolors in a new way, and to enjoy working from travel sketchbook ink drawings from as much as 25 years ago. 

Maisel has been featured in a solo exhibit at the Fuller Museum, http://fullercraft.org, in Brockton, MA.  She is currently a member of the Concord Art Association, http://www.concordart.org/, and the Nature Printing Society, http://www.natureprintingsociety.org.