Mary St. George

Mary St. George
Lisbon, Portugal

STATEMENT

My gravitation toward mixed media and collage started about 6 years ago when I found that the impact of collage was infinitely more powerful and evocative than pure painting and lead me into more inventive and “controlled” spontaneous work. It has become somewhat of an addiction. I do enjoy working in watercolour which provides a similar thrill in that my best work tends to be spontaneous. My latest work focuses on abandoned buildings mostly in the area I live. I photograph and make videos of them and from this point create collages and mixed media artworks with multiple perspectives and interpretations. They are architecturally inspired and through them I create layers, new venues and imagined landscapes. I took a documentary film course in Lisbon (Kino-Doc) in 2020 where I learned to make short videos using Adobe Premiere Pro. The videos I make are related to my collage and other artworks.

The video Layers & Transparency is the culmination of this course and shows how I integrate my collage with Perspex. The video Trespassing (2021) relates directly to my current collage and mixed media work.

BIO

I am an American artist and have lived in Portugal since 1980. I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, have a BA in History of Art from Connecticut Collage (1969), a BA in Environmental Design from Parson’s School of Design, NYC (1974), a Diploma in Architecture – University of Westminster, London (1979), an MA in International Education from Bath University (2004) and an advanced degree in etching and painting from ArCo (2004, Centro de Arte e Communição Visual). I worked as an architectural assistant in London and Lisbon followed by teaching Art & Design and IB (International Baccalaureate) Visual Art in two international schools in Lisbon. I now work as an independent artist, give workshops on drawing, painting and etching in my studio and exhibit in Portugal and the United Kingdom. I recently published a book of watercolours accompanied by Portuguese texts which I freely interpreted into English. These watercolours and sketches were inspired by the Serra de Sintra where I live. I take daily walks into the Serra with my dog and make sketches of this wonderful World Heritage Site. This was also largely a result of the lockdown and is entitled Watercolours from a Lockdown – Aguarelas de um Confinamento. I have exhibited annually at the Mall Galleries, London since 2014 with SWA (Society of Women Artists) and the NEAC (New English Art Club). In 2012 I was invited to exhibit at the Bankside Gallery, London by the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers. In 2014 I received the Frank Herring & Son Easel Award at the SWA show. I also exhibit in Portugal. My most recent show was with two other artists at the MU.SA (Museu de Arte Moderna) in Sintra in July 2021. I have exhibited in a number of galleries and public museums in Portugal which can best be viewed on my website.

ARTIST CONTACT

+351 962447888
[click to email]
www.marystgeorge-art.com

IMAGES