About The Artist

“It has taken me a lifetime to learn to draw like a child.”
Pablo Picasso
 
These simple words have inspired me for the past 25 years. Many artists study with master craftspersons or painters. I have been privileged to learn art-making through the eyes of children. These past 25 years, I’ve been teaching young artists 9–14 years old. They have taught me about the beauty and joy of making art and have inspired me with their simplicity, in both making and viewing works of art.
 
My other inspiration is folk art. I love the beauty and simplicity of a simple contour line. I try to incorporate the rich colors, textures and patterns of folk art in my own work. The result is work that is both whimsical and childlike.
 
My art is often—but not always—centered on one of three themes. 

• The City - I love the urban landscape, its people and its architecture. I particularly like to capture the individuality of a street or a building that lurks in the seeming anonymity of a large city.
• Animals - As a native Montanan, I have a deep love of the natural environment and the variety of animals that inhabit our world.
• The Bible - Characters and themes from the Old and New Testaments often inspire my work because my Christian faith is the center of my life.

Then again, sometimes all three themes intertwine and leave me laughing. The lambs cavorting in Central Park are an example: animals, obviously, but also, for me, Paschal Lambs, both the Passover and Easter versions—and there they are, filling Central Park with new meaning! Now you see why I chose the name Urban Pastures.

I hope my art with its bright colors and simple patterns, captures the heart of the child that lives in you, no matter what age you happen to be. If you like my work but don’t see exactly what you’re looking for, please contact me—I love to do commission work!

Maureen L. White