Meet Mary Pat Ettinger | Artist & Encourager

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

Hi Mary Pat, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
Each one of us has been gifted in some way. That gift might involve caring for animals, or being an innovator, or possibly being someone who has the gift of empathy. Whether a tangible, outwardly visible gift, or a more subtle strength, we are all gifted. That being said, each of us has the privilege and the responsibility to impact the world around us as we employ our own unique giftedness.

Therein lies my definition of success. If I am employing my known gifts in such as way as to impact the lives of those I am in contact with, then I am successful. That type of success can’t be measured in dollar terms, but it can give an immense sense of satisfaction at the end of the day when I put my head to rest on my pillow. That type of success leaves me feeling richly satisfied.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My career as an artist started at age 5. For some reason, my parents felt even at that early age, I displayed a giftedness in that area. In my early teens I was privileged to study oil painting with an Italian artist. Funny story here: my dad, decided I needed to have access to any necessary art supplies and he opened a charge account for me at the local hardware store which also carried art supplies. After a few months, during which time I had a marvelous time buying any and all art supplies that struck my fancy, my dad quietly closed the account! Guess he rightly assessed that a 13 year old was too young to handle credit. After high school, I went on to study at Laguna Beach School of Art, as well as taking courses at Chapman College. By my early twenties, I was well on my way to wallowing in total artistic bliss, regardless of any direction in a true business sense of the word. I painted and illustrated, formed an artist co-op with some friends (which failed beautifully) and painted even more. I dabbled in all sorts of endeavors, with absolutely no sense of business acumen at my fingertips.
In my early twenties a lack of one vital piece of an art supply shifted my whole painting focus and launched my own personal painting style which still today sets my work apart with its distinctive style.
At the time, my husband who is a Vietnam vet (and served 3 brutal tours in the jungle) was in college. We lived WAY out on a remote ranch where he worked on the weekends. It was so remote, we even had a crank phone! Three longs -two shorts was our number…. and I am NOT that old! 🙂 Well, one day, when he was away in town at school, I wanted to paint. Problem being I had no gesso to prepare my canvas. So, I painted on raw canvas… and it was wonderful. The texture was amazing. The problem was however, that the canvas soaked in the paints, and faded them out. So the next day, still without gesso (remember we lived very far out, pre-internet days, and I had to order supplies from an art catalog) I tried sealing the canvas with a clear sealer. Voila! The magic began!
The interaction between the still rough canvas texture and the paints was exhilarating. And now, 52 years later, it still has me in its grip. What I can achieve with this unique style is still so exciting for me as I continue to learn how to handle and come to grips with this very unique way of working.
I began painting on location (now fashionably called ‘plein air’) …. and continued also with studio painting. I didn’t just paint however. I found numerous way to ‘lose money’ as I like to put it. I am a self-admitted poor business woman, but I absolutely love what I do, and I somehow manage to keep my business afloat despite my best efforts to sabotage it with my ebullient and enthusiastic endeavors.
I illustrated for national greeting card companies, I painted indoor and outdoor murals – one is listed as ‘historic’ in San Clemente, California, and by law has to be preserved. (LOL) I created coloring books, designed fabric, created stationery, calendars, wrote and illustrated children’s books as well as adult inspirational books, taught workshops and led art camps … and more that I can’t recall at the moment. How I absolutely love being an artist, and am so grateful that this is my calling. I am truly grateful.
One of my favorite quotes is from Jerome Lawrence “It’s always such a joy that you wake up in the morning and there is work to do!” That is so true as an artist. You are always just overflowing with artistic ideas and creative urges. What a way to look forward to each new day. So, as I said, I am humbly grateful. I cannot emphasize that enough. It is at the core of my being as an artist.
Over the years, my main drive has been to paint. This deep drive, almost an obsession, has grown with the years. I am now producing 2 to 3 paintings a week, and show in numerous galleries primarily on the western slope of Colorado. I serve on the Board for the Plein Air Artists of Colorado, and teach workshops throughout western Colorado. My paintings are in collections internationally. I am at work (though I hesitate to call it ‘work’ sometimes by 6 in the morning. I do make a conscious effort to close down at five every evening, and I try, most times not too successfully, to take weekends off. I feel a real ache of grief on the days when I cannot be actively working with my paints … those days when the business end of it all demands my attention. The delight of working with my canvas and acrylics consumes me and provides me with such a sense of well-being and elation.

As I have pointed out, I really am a lousy business woman. I do manage to keep the business afloat, and feel happy when I can contribute to the household finances out of my endeavors. But for me, the joy is in the creation … and the second thing that brings me such a sense of satisfaction is the realization that whatever I put my hand to creatively, – it has the potential to bring encouragement, and a sense of peace and hope to the viewers and collectors. It is so rewarding to know that my small contributions to the art world, can do so much for the human spirit. That is a powerful reward and compensation for my efforts. This goes back to my opening statement, that we are all gifted in some way, and how we employ that gift and how that giftedness plays out… .well, it can have huge impacts on the lives around us.

So, to summarize. I have lived in western Colorado almost my entire adult life. And my story is no different from yours in that we each have been impacted by where we have lived and what we have been surrounded by. People have passed through your life, just as they have in mine, that have left a trail of sweet beauty in their wake. You also, through your gift or your business, have the opportunity to reach others.
So, whatever your gift, use it. Revel in it, and in your uniqueness. As you give out your giftedness to the world, in whatever form that takes, you will receive back fully in joy and the satisfaction that can come from being exactly who you are in this time. That, in my book, is true success.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
OH! Such a question! I would take them camping. The outdoors is pure heaven to me. The sound of a solitary birdsong floating against a canyon wall in the desert … the pure mountain air of a Rocky Mountain forest … or, my absolute most beloved annual journey: a backpack trip out on the northwest coast along the beaches….lost among the tidepools and sleeping on the sand with the stars and the endless song of the waves on the beach. These are what makes life marvelous and full of wonder for me. These are what I would share with my friend.

Or, I would just have them stay at my home… because to be still and to know the beauty that constantly surrounds all of us daily no matter where we live – well, this makes life rich. For me, to sit in the shade of a massive cottonwood tree on a warm summer day, and listen to the chatter of the leaves set against the ringing stillness of a vast land … That is as close to heaven on earth as I can imagine.

In the summer, in the deep of a still night, I hear the leaves dancing in the warm winds outside my window. Loathe to return to my sleep, I lay awake as long as I can so as not to miss the peace that envelopes my being with this soothing sound. These are things that I would love to give to others… this is excitement to me … all the sounds and sights that make up our worlds, whether in the city or the backcountry.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It takes someone special to live with an artist.

My husband of over 50 years is that special kind of person.
He is the hardest working person I have ever known.
He has been totally selfless throughout our life together –
wholeheartedly supporting my endeavors and encouraging me
as we have walked through the varied landscapes of our years.

I would not be who I am and accomplished what I have without him by my side and in my heart.

Thank you, Harry.

Website: www.marypatettingerstudio.com https://www.marypatettingerstudio.com/

Instagram: @marypatettinger https://www.instagram.com/marypatettinger/?hl=en

Facebook: Mary Pat Ettinger Studio https://www.facebook.com/MaryPatEttinger/?ref=pages_you_manage

Youtube: Mary Pat Ettinger www.youtube.com/channel/UCrLArd9Cz3SUBgLmQ0-PgwQ

Other: The Blue Pig Gallery Palisade, CO https://www.thebluepiggallery.com/#/mary-pat-ettinger/ AGO Gallery Ouray, CO https://www.agogallery.com/