Artist Statement
Lately I’ve come to note that my work is more and more about community. Sioux Falls, and eastern South Dakota is a beautiful, thriving place to be, especially as an artist. If I think of community in a broad sense, a fellowship sense, I am lucky to be a part of so many communities! I have felt their support, friendship, commitment, and recognition. My work has two hallmarks that standout – joyfulness, and history. That’s just amazing to me, as those words mean so much. I choose every day to be in the joy camp. Sometimes it is not easy, being a person who has been coming to terms with visual impairment. That puts me in the disabled community, by the way, which was a difficult one for me to accept. But I can’t let that define me, and spreading joy is such a gift! I never tire of seeing people react to my pieces. I celebrate the joy of these communities of mine and what they do for me and for us all. I have a particular affinity for antique objects, especially odd ones. I have a wonder of the life of these things. Who made it, used it, loved it, and why? That concept shows up boldly in my work. I really want the viewer to spend some time deciphering the marks and layers and process built into my paintings. I put paint on, remove it, change it, cover over it, scrape it away, draw on it, spray it with water or ink, blow-dry it. The marks and gestures and love and perseverance I bring to the canvas are all there to be shared by the community of viewers.
Fusing plastic sheets fulfills a longtime artistic need. I have sought a way to incorporate recycled material and maintain my artistic voice. The plastic in these pieces is 100% post consumer. I have developed a process of layering it and fusing it with heat that mimics painting. There is nothing added to them, no paint or other medium, until the final step, which is dots of splatter paint. They are stand alone, or bound with heat to paintings on paper or linen to create a single composition.
Artist Bio
Mary Payton is an artist living in Sioux Falls with her husband and two chihuahuas. An artist “since she can remember,” Payton loves to explore varied art media. Recently she has found personal success as a mixed media abstract painter. Her pieces include acrylic paint, house paint, acrylic ink, stain, water soluble pencils and sticks, pigment bars, spray paint, oil paint, soft pastels, oil pastels, markers, and gold leaf. Recently she has been exploring incorporation of fused plastic into her work. Her abstract expressionist works are full of vivid color, shapes, and pattern. She likes to think of her work as joyful, full of good energy, and uplifting. Mary recently received Midwest Artist’s Award for Artists with Disabilities from Arts Midwest.