Mary Jane Pories

A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE ARTIST

1. What do you do when you’re not making art? (Day job etc...).

After years spent performing improv comedy, I realized how valuable these skills could be in the workplace, so I founded a business (Fishladder LLC.). I love sharing the skills that help others be more creative and spontaneous, the same skills that improvisers use to successfully create scenes on stage, the same skills I use in my art, my writing, on stage, and my life.

2. Why do you make art?

Visual art is one more way to use an improvisational approach to express emotion, explore my world, and find meaning in my life. I use images to communicate when words fail.

3. What inspires you?

I’m inspired by courage, questions, confusion, dreams, truth, play, color, materials, and the endlessly fascinating stories of those brave enough to honestly share their story. More specifically, I am inspired by my family, every one of them.

4. What/who are your influences?

I find color intoxicating so am naturally drawn to Abstract Expressionism and Fauvism. I also continue to return to Amedeo Modigliani, Henri Matisse, Georgia O'Keeffe, Henry Moore, Vincent Van Gogh, Helen Frankenthaler, Gustave Klimt and, my father and painting partner, Walter Pories.

5. If you could meet anyone dead or alive who would it be?

Rachel Carson.