Bio

I grew up and live in the Buffalo, NY area and and earned BS and MS degrees in Art Education from local Buffalo colleges. My education has included study and experience in most types of art and mediums including drawing, design, painting, photography, ceramics, sculpture, textiles, printmaking, and jewelry making. I have experienced just about every art medium and have a deep love and appreciation for all forms of art.

For as long as I can remember I have always had a passion for art. After teaching art and doing ad layouts for a local TV magazine for a few years, I became a stay-at-home mom and my creativity was mostly channeled into arts and crafts with the kids, sewing, counted cross stitch, photography, and minor art projects. A situation eventually presented itself that led me to full time employment in a field for many years that was far from the art world.

My lifelong dream of visiting the Musée du Louvre became a reality in 2004 when I took my first trip overseas to London and Paris. My soul was reawakened with the feeling of so much joy and passion being immersed firsthand amid so much of the great art and architecture that I had only previously studied and admired in books. This was a life changing moment in time and propelled me to begin taking a more active interest in art again. I pulled out some of my art books as well as sketchbooks and art materials and began to sketch as frequently as time would allow. I eventually began to get back into experimenting with various art mediums which then led me to my current mixed media art practice, and along with now being retired from the non-art world I finally have become the serious artist that was always within me.

In addition to art, my many interests include spending time with my family (the best ever! And grandchildren - oh my!) and many friends (so fortunate!), music (the Beatles! and so many more!), reading (so many books!), photography (photographing everything!) sewing (anything!), walking (every day!), crossword puzzles and mind games (keeping the brain sharp!), travel (just say where!), and being outdoors (anywhere! every day possible!). Inspiration is everywhere in my world!

I have deep gratitude for everyone and everything that has led me to my present being!

Artist Statement

I specialize in abstract mixed media and collage, which allows me to explore, experiment, and combine various artistic mediums that truly ignite my passion. While working abstractly, I express myself through a diverse range of materials and design elements until I achieve a composition that brings me deep satisfaction.

My main use of collage elements are from personal materials - such as photocopies of photographs I have taken, copies of old family photographs and treasured materials, old notebooks, sketchbooks or artworks of mine that no longer serve any other purpose, an old treasured family dictionary from the early 1900s and other such items that have special meaning to me. These pieces evoke a multitude of memories and experiences, serving as my primary source of inspiration, even if they are obscured by additional layers in my artwork.

Process

My process begins very simply by either pasting a collage piece, or a few pieces, on a substrate (most often watercolor paper), or placing a few random brushstrokes or marks on the paper. I respond to the images or marks on the paper by adding elements and layers using various mediums that intuitively seem to fit based on how the piece is evolving. Typically I use any combination of watercolor, acrylic, different types of pens and marking utensils, and various collage elements. During my process I am connecting with my source(s) of inspiration that the collage pieces and marks evoke.

Commission work

I am available for commission work and produce custom pieces containing images from your personal photographs or materials.

Please contact me for further information if interested in my commission work.

For more information and interest or questions about my art work, please contact me at:

mmlappin51@gmail.com
Instagram: mlappin51

Thank you for your interest and support!