Salt River Canyon

 I've been working on the mural in Gilbert most of the week.  My neighbor asked me to come with her on a road trip 'to get some honey butter in Strawberry'.  What started out to be a short trip turned into an eight hour tour of the best scenery in Arizona!  We went past Red Mountain to Payson and then around the loop through the Salt River Canyon to Globe and Superior and several small mining towns along the way.  The wild flowers are blooming in the desert and the mountains are covered in tall pines. Here are a few pictures of  Salt River Canyon.  It's a winding road of switchbacks down into the valley and then back up.  It's off to work now on the prep for the mural.

"Bullfighter" Contemporary Landscape and Figurative Oil Paintings by Arizona Artist Mary Opat

24" x 30" Oil on Board

I've added another oil painting to my web pages.  This one is full of action.

To view more of my work or to purchase, please follow this link:

http://www.maryopat.com

"Midnight Blues" and "City Lights" Contemporary Landscape and Figurative Oil Paintings by Arizona Artist Mary Opat

These are two paintings I added to my web pages.  They are 

both a deep midnight blue and are subtractive paintings.
The surface was prepared using modeling paste

 to give them a unique texture.  A coat of deep blue paint was applied
and then removed with a rag to show the white underneath. 

Please follow this link to view or purchase my work

http://www.maryopat.com

Group Photo at the GVAL Annual Show

Barb, Jen, Bev, me, Donna, Jean, Judie, Daisy

We all paint in Jean's studio.  She is a wonderful teacher and friend.

We got together as a group to have our photo taken

while at the opening of the GVAL Annual Art Show.
Please check out my paintings at http://www.maryopat.com

Some of my favorite Artists

                                             Bev                         Barb                       Jean

Here are paintings from some of my favorite artists.

I am very lucky to be able to call them my friends and

 paint with them on a regular basis. Yesterday ten members of the 

Gilbert Visual Art League met at Scottsdale for the Celebration of Fine Art.

100 artists under one roof, selling and demonstrating their art.  It was a

fun day and an eye opener.  I picked up some pointers and am ready

to put them into practice!

Historical Mural Update: Scale Model

Here is the scale model for the mural in downtown Gilbert.

There may be a few changes and some detail was left 

out due to the size of the painting (10" x 50").

On to the next phase!  Check out my website at
http://www.maryopat.com

"Cottage at Dawn" by Contemporary Landscape and Figurative Arizona Artist Mary Opat

18" x 14" Original Oil on Canvas

This is a painting that I have added to Contemporary Fine

Art International and Fine Art America.  It reminded me of

fishing at Five Island Lake and of course visits to Okoboji!

To see more of my work follow this link to

http://www.maryopat.com

"Keeping Watch" Contemporary Landscape and Figurative Oil Paintings by Arizona Artist Mary Opat

16x20 Original Oil Painting on Canvas

This is a painting that I just added to my websites.  It reminds

me of the creek that ran through our acreage.  Blue Heron,

wood ducks, and mallards would visit.

Grandpa Wes' bridge spanned the creek allowing the

kids to cross over and race their boats (sometimes

just sticks) down the creek.  The bridge built by Wes has been

 refurbished and is now being used in 

Chatfield, MN thanks to the Opat boys!
Check out my paintings at http://www.maryopat.com

"Blazing Sky" by Contemporary Landscape and Figurative Arizona Artist Mary Opat

This original oil painting has been sold.  I'm working on a similar 

painting using the "setting sun" colors.  It was the first time using

a relatively smooth RayMar panel.  I think the smooth panels make 

water reflections easier to achieve and I'll be using them more often.

To view more of my paintings please follow this link

http://www.maryopat.com

"Bridge With A View" by Contemporary Landscape and Figurative Arizona Artist Mary Opat

20" x 16" Oil on Canvas

I believe the photo used for this painting was taken

 in northern Minnesota.  Skip and his wife travel all over 

the U.S. and have supplied me with photos for many future paintings!

I'd like to try this one again and go for a much looser effect.
To see more of my work follow this link
http://www.maryopat.com

News Article, RE: Mural in Gilbert.

It's in the newspaper, so no turning back now!!
To view or purchase any of my paintings, please
follow this link: http://www.maryopat.com  

"Oriole Feasting" by Contemporary Landscape and Figurative Arizona Arist Mary Opat

The photo used for the bird in this painting was taken in 

Mom and Dad's back yard in Iowa.  The foliage was added 

from my imagination.  It's the first painting I've done using leaves and berries 

and I'm anxious to try it again!  The original is SOLD

You can follow this link to view more of my work http://www.maryopat.com

My First Portrait, by Mary Opat

11" x 14"  Oil on Panel

NFS

This was my first finished portrait.  I took the photo

 indoors and the lighting was great.  I was pleased with the result and

found that portrait painting isn't so scary after all!  I'm finding it

to be very satisfying.
You can follow this link to see more of my paintings
http://www.maryopat.com

"Sisters" Contemporary Landscape and Figurative Oil Paintings by Arizona Artist, Mary Opat

22" x 28" Oil on Canvas

I've almost finished this painting.  These two girls were 

photographed in Copper Canyon, Mexico. 

 Photo credit to Galen Frysinger.  It hasn't been varnished yet, so

it will be fun to see how it will look when it's complete.  

I'll have to live with it a few days to decide if it's finished.
View or purchase my work at http://www.maryopat.com

CFAI advertisement, painting by Contemporary Landscape and Figurative Arizona Oil Painter, Mary Opat

Wow, it's fun to have one of my paintings being seen all over the world 

as advertising for the online Spring Juried Show hosted

by Contemporary Fine Art International.  Thanks CFAI for

using my painting!  To view or purchase my paintings,
please follow this link http://www.maryopat.com

Portrait of Kylie by Landscape and Figurative Arizona Oil Painter Mary Opat

20" x 16"

NFS

This painting of my niece Kylie was done using a photo.  I

was planning to paint another portrait of Kylie and her sister, but 

they are changing so fast I may need to get

a more recent photo!  To view more of my paintings, follow this link

http://www.maryopat.com

Historical Mural

I'm excited to have been chosen to paint a historical mural on the American Legion building in Gilbert, AZ.  I'm working in conjunction with the Gilbert Leadership Class.  I'm finishing up on the design now and will keep you posted!

Debbie's Day, original seascape oil painting by Arizona Contemporary artist Mary Opat

I've just added a new painting to  Contemporary Fine Art International.  This oil painting was from a photo I took on Huntington Beach in California.  It's called Debbie's Day. I was on a road trip with my good friend Debbie Weatherford.  I'll never forget my first trip to the beach.  Debbie was always full of life and continually smiling.  She's making angels laugh now. To view or purchase my paintings visit http://www.maryopat.com

Debbie Weatherford

GVAL Annual Art Show Award

I was very happy to get a third place ribbon for the portrait I entered into the GVAL art show.  There are so many talented artists in our group and everyone is so supportive of each other.  I'm blessed to know so many wonderful people!  To view or purchase my work, please visithttp://www.maryopat.com

Paintings in the GVAL Art Show

The Gilbert Visual Art League 10th Annual Juried Show and Sale begins today and goes through Feb. 16th. I'm posting the three oil paintings that I have displayed there.  Come and check out the show if you're in the area.  The show is hosted by East Side Art located at 9919 E. Apache Trail, Mesa, AZ 85207.  Two of my paintings were done using photos taken by Kristin while visiting Steve in Alaska.  I got a sneak peek at the artwork last night and it looks like a great show!  Two of the paintings are available at http://www.maryopat.com