Artist Statement

The ocean has always been a spiritual place for me. Living near the sea provides me with a wealth of inspiration. The rhythm of the ebb and flow of the tide and the expanse across the horizon creates a timeless and serene place that I am drawn to. The exhilarating energy after a storm is equally enticing. While walking almost every morning on the beach I am always interested to see what washes ashore: shells, bones, driftwood, seaweed and other flotsam and jetsam. I love the remarkable texture and colour provided by prolonged exposure to the elements of the ocean, sun and weather. Most often these items find their way into my studio and into my art.

Biography

Marlene works in a variety of media, including paintings in oils and watercolours, drawings in conté, pencils and charcoal, mixed media pieces and paintings with local clay. She paints and draws on location as well as in her studio. Her interests include landscape, still life, portraits and the design of the human figure. She is fascinated by the design created by shadow and light inside the natural world, whether people, objects or landscape. Marlene has participated in many group and solo exhibitions. She has been a member of Visual Arts Nova Scotia since 1996.
Marlene has been teaching art for many years, including workshops for Dartmouth Visual Arts, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s Summer Arts program, the Craig Gallery Summer Art Camp and Boardwalk Artists, and Art Camps in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta. She has worked in many schools throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality doing workshops, murals, dioramas, presentations, and PAINTS and 4C’s Foundation projects.
Marlene’s Seaforth Studio Art Classes for Children and Teens opened in 1994 through 2022.
Marlene teaches private lessons to students with autism.