Mary Ellen Kirkedahl

Through out the years I have built a fairly large body of artwork in the form of drawings and paintings. The medium I primarily use is oil paint. However, lately I have been focusing on watercolor.

The subject matter I choose to paint is from my own photographs of landscapes, old buildings and animals. My travels have led me up and down the west coast of the United States where I found the pictures I have taken.

My process of working begins with drawing from the photograph. The drawing serves two purposes. First, it allows me to capture proportions in a composition. Second, I use that drawing to trace onto water color paper which eliminates any damage to the paper. For oil painting I prefer wood panels. The hard surface of the wood panel allows me to draw the specific detail that I am interested in.

The inspiration I have to spend the time I do making art comes from my faith in Jesus. He has blessed me with a gift. To keep it simple, I want to glorify Him with what he has given me.