We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary Giacomini and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mary, what makes you happy? Why?
I love to create art. I paint places, people and things that make me happy. I also enjoy teaching art. I love to see ‘the lights go on’ when someone absorbs what I tell or show them and they ‘get it’ It’s satisfying to see students really be happy with what they learned to create.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am dedicated to painting ‘peaceful places’. I love to recreate places, things and people I’ve been inspired by. Lately I have been adding more figures in my landscapes which has been a goal for years. I like to learn styles, techniques and pallets used by other artists. My constant experimenting with limited pallets has taught me so much about mixing. I want to share my vision, my peace with others.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would take them into the mountains for a hike and drive. I live 30 mn (west of Loveland, CO) from Estes Park so we would head up the Big Thompson canyon and stop for coffee at Kind Coffee. Then we would head into Rocky Mountain National Park to find a less busy trail to enjoy the day hiking. I would have packed snacks and plenty of water, plus extra clothes as the weather changes at high altitude. We could stop for dinner at Moma Rosa’s for good Italian food and wonder on the River Walk in Estes. The next day we could explore Loveland. We could start at the Benson Sculpture park and enjoy all the public art Loveland has to offer. Shopping in downtown is fun as the stores are unique. We would have lunch at Henry’s on 4th street then head to the Loveland Museum (where I’ve taught art since 2003) to see their latest shows.
Other fun things to do is hike the Devils Backbone, bike ride on the trail system that runs throughout the area and check out the art in public places.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I got invited to an oil painting group almost 2 years ago. We call ourselves the Thompson River painters. We paint weekly, critique and help each other out with our experience. I feel so fortunate to have this group in my life. I feel like my painting skills have improved and our painting day has been my favorite day of the week.

Website: marygiacomini.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stories/marygiacominifineart/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MGiacominiArt

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