Do you find joy in seeing life through an artist’s eyes? And happiness in losing yourself in a beautiful original painting? The new gallery and thrifty boutique, A Happy Place, is open and celebrating June with an exhibit of new plein air and studio landscapes by nationally recognized oil painter Diane DuBois Mullaly.
“Dance with Me” by Diane DuBois Mullaly
“As a plein air painter, I seek to create a sense of place; capturing the light, energy and soul of my surroundings. Using my palette knife, I describe what I see with layers of paint – sometimes loading it on in bold strokes, sometimes sgraffitoing (drawing or scratching into the wet paint), sometimes almost sculpting the paint to tell my story. I want my work to be joyful and sophisticated, and to speak of the beauty found all around us, painted with thoughtful abandon.”
A Plein Air Easton Alumni Artist, Diane has been juried into the competition eight times. She was dubbed a painter of “small vibrant palette knife paintings” in a 2018 feature article in Plein Air Magazine.In her studio, she enjoys exploring still life and figurative subjects, always finding new ways to paint them with her palette knife. Though regularly juried into national exhibits and events, Mullaly’s true love and her biggest collector base is right here on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
As an instructor at the Academy Art Museum, Diane pays forward what she has learned over many years as a student in classes and workshops with living master painters. “No one was born knowing how to paint. Learning to create art is an endless, rewarding quest. It keeps us in the moment, gives us a purpose, and teaches us new ways to see ordinary objects.”
Also a Maryland Master Naturalist, one of Mullaly’s goals is to join art and science. Her “Nature Sketchers”is a monthly mentored First Sunday nature walk along the trails at Adkins Arboretum, Ridgely, Maryland, with stops for sketching in graphite, ink, or watercolor. Each walk focuses on what’s in bloom, budding, or of interest along the paths. Watch for a self-guided version of this walk, until larger groups can congregate again.
A Happy Place owner Beth Hickman invites the public to stop by in June and enjoy Diane’s recent works. Says Hickman, “Our shop is spacious with plenty of room for proper social distancing, and we clean all our touchpoints frequently. I am pleased to have Diane’s work in my grouping of local artists. Her beautiful textures and palette knife strokes mesmerize me. I can get lost in her paintings and am endlessly inspired. They make me happy!”.
A Happy Place is located at 12 N Washington St, Easton, Maryland. (410) 200-3867. Open Wednesday – Saturday. Email ahappyplace@goeaston.net or find the shop on Facebook.
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