Learning to draw form life. |
When Mary Linderman left the company of Ma Bell after 25 years, she
answered a call that had been waiting too long – the call to
spend her life painting full time. This past November, she and fellow
artist and husband Jack Miller opened ARTOMIX Art Studio in South
Charleston. It is a working atelier, a quiet place where Mary and
Jack produce and teach art.
Mary says “We opened our studio to train and mentor budding
artists, teaching children as young as five. Most of the students
are grade three and above. It’s not baby sitting - we make the
kids work! Jack teaches the boys and they seem to especially enjoy
it since boys have so few ways available for expressing themselves.
Then, on Sunday, we have an open studio for adults to increase their
skill level or begin a lifelong love of art.”
Mary has been painting and taking art classes since she was twelve.
Promoting art in the community and teaching young people appreciation
of art and the beauty of the natural world has been part of her life
throughout the moves she made during her career with AT &T. Originally
from California, fourteen years ago, she was offered the choice of
Pittsburgh or Charleston. “I came here and realized ‘This
is the place I want to spend my IRA!’” She finally retired
two years ago, about the time she met Jack. One of her four daughters
was dating his nephew. She came home and said “Mom, his uncle
is a crazy artist just like you!” The two celebrate their two-year
anniversary this month.
Mary and her husband were commissioned by the City of South Charleston
to paint several murals.
Their patriotic mural is a frequent backdrop for photos, and has
been published in the South Charleston 2003 calendar. The Historic
Train Depot is a local favorite. When weather permits, the two will
complete the South Charleston Mound Arts and Crafts Festival mural
and begin their newest project at Advance Auto store near the mound.
The new mural will be a memorial to the bravery and heroism of firefighters
and police officers.
Mary says she is dismayed at how children spend so much of their
lives as spectators, watching TV and videos, watching sports, watching
NASCAR. “At Artomix, we teach them realistic rendering, which
encourages problem solving and crucial thinking. They see so many
images that are simply presented to them; they don’t understand
how the images happen. But, most importantly, they need to be participators
not just spectators.”
She is looking for a sponsor for a project she hopes will give children
something to look forward to besides television – a children’s
community mural, painted by the children themselves. She says “
Children need to have a voice in their community, too. Parents complain
that it seems their children can hardly wait to leave. We have to
give children something to help them connect. Community murals can
be an important part of providing a way to involve their bodies and
their minds.”
Between her new career of full time art and a new life, Mary is looking
forward to completing the final two semesters she needs for her art
degree. “Then”, she says. “I’m going for my
Masters!’
Contact Mary Linderman at 304-343-0051 or 304-549-1420 or visit
artomix.com.
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