Mary Josephson
Portland artist Mary Josephson is known for her expressive imagery of people and animals in the urban and natural world. For this exhibition, Character, she reflects on the moments, large and small, that define human character. Josephson observes, “these paintings reflect moments of vexation, discovery, revelation and wonder about being alive. The figures within my work are caught in fleeting experiences that may be remembered forever, or are just building blocks of character.” Through bold paintings, and a new experimental medium of watercolor on reclaimed printers felt, Josephson delights in a range of people and experience that evoke the rich fabric of human life. The contrasting visual and tactile qualities that emerge from the variety of materials Josephson uses encourage close study and exploration of each piece, together with flights of imagination to expand on the stories that she starts.
Portland artist Mary Josephson studied in Paris, France, at the École National Superior des Beaux Arts before receiving a BFA from the Pacific Northwest College of Art. She has been exhibiting her work since 1983 including shows at the Portland Art Museum, the Oregon Health Sciences University, the University of Austin in Texas, and the Bellevue Art Museum, WA. Prominent collections include Safeco, Microsoft, Oregon State University, Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital, Tacoma Art Museum, and the Portland Art Museum. Commissions include work for Southern Oregon University, the Tigard Public Library, OR, Catlin Gabel School in Portland, Portland Fire and Rescue in conjunction with RACC, OR, Oregon Food Bank, Multnomah County’s Juvenile Justice Center in Portland, OR, and the Arnold Rue Community Center, in Stockton, CA.