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Mary Elizabeth Atwood reflected on her three-month journey as Caroline County’s Council of the Arts’ artist-in-residence during a reception on June 13 at The Foundry in Denton. She said the residency was like a snapshot of her life, which has always involved art.
The residency called for 30 hours a week devoted to her art, although she said she had trouble keeping it to just 30. The arrangement required Atwood to teach two classes – she offered intuitive painting and mask making. Visual and written poetry also had to be included.
Once Atwood got started, she said she couldn’t stop. Her works filled the walls and shelves of The Foundry, serving as a colorful and creative backdrop as she spoke.
She credited her family, especially her husband, for making the experience possible and thanked them for their support.
“I had nothing to do but to use my imagination and create. It was wonderful,” Atwood said. “I was the happiest I’ve been since I was a kid.”
She chose journey as her theme from the beginning.
“We’re all on journeys, and I think our journeys are very similar to each other in many ways,” Atwood said, and she saw figures in her head as a way to tell the story. Atwood wasn’t sure how to make the figures, she said, so she reached out to her sisters, who were gracious with their help.
Atwood directed attention to a stooped, miniature figure on a podium in the corner, introducing the crowd to the Cailleach, an old Irish goddess, who created mountains by dropping stones from her apron as she walked from Ireland to Scotland and the Isle of Man.
“She was called the hag, the crone, the wise woman,” Atwood said. She gestured from Cailleach to the six additional figures lining the mantle behind her. “It was wonderful to make them because they came alive.”
Atwood briefly described each in turn: the ancient one who walks the path with us; the one who watches over home and hearth; the muse of intention, who only gives the keys of destiny to those of good heart; the muse of words and language, protector of storytellers, artists and musicians; the one who watches over children yet to be born or those who won’t be; and she of the sea, who protects the lifeblood of her planet. Each represented a different part of her journey.
In conclusion, Atwood shared three original poems with themes ranging from dreams and personal growth to the importance of speaking out for justice and kindness.
While the figures were not for sale, Atwood’s other works of art were. Her creations spanned a variety of artistic media and prices, and one painting was offered as the prize in a free drawing during the reception.
Atwood will offer additional classes in meditative painting and mask making. Check with CCCA for a schedule.
