Mary K. Forshagen grew up in Texas and attended Texas A&M University. She is a signature member of the Oil Painters of America. In the early 1990’s, after a career as a CPA and raising a family, she decided to focus on painting. A major turning point in her career came in 1993 at a plein-air painting workshop in Taos, New Mexico. I had always painted primarily from life - now I paint primarily en plein air. There is a unique relationship between the artist and nature that I love. I am stimulated by the challenges of outdoor painting: a quickly changing light source, the scent of wildflowers in the air and even those pesky little bugs that inevitably fly into my wet painting. All of these factors contribute to the emotional feel of a painting. I try to recreate for my viewers the excitement and joy I experience while painting a scene. Mary K. enjoys painting landscapes, still lifes and figures.It does not matter what the subject is, if I love the color and light and it moves me emotionally, it usually finds its way to my canvas. Whether at home in Texas or Colorado, she can most often be found outside painting. Nature gives me great joy and countless ideas for paintings. I hope to share my unique view of the world and its beauty with all who see my work. Selected National Juried Exhibitions, Awards and Honors: 2012 The Briscoe Western Art Museum Night of Artists 2012, San Antonio, TX 2111 Crested Butte Plein Air Invitational, Crested Butte, CO 2011 The Briscoe Western Art Museum Night of Artists 2011, San Antonio, TX 2010 The Briscoe Western Art Museum Night of Artists 2010, San Antonio, TX 2009 Salon International 2009, San Antonio, TX 2009 Nomades del Arte 2009, Dallas, TX 2008 Salon International 2008, San Antonio, TX 2008 Guest Artist, Plein Air Texas 2008, Dallas, TX 2008 Nomades del Arte 2008, Santa Fe, NM 2007 Guest Artist, Plein Air Texas 2007, Dallas, Texas 2006 Guest Artist, Plein Air Texas 2006, Dallas, Texas 2006 Oil Painters of America National Exhibition, Award, Missoula, Montana 2003 Oil Painters of America Midwest Regional Exhibition, Chicago, Illinois 2002 Finalist Still Life Category, The Artist’s Magazine’s 2002 Annual Art Competition 2001 Finalist Still Life Category, The Artist’s Magazine’s 2001 Annual Art Competition 2001 Oil Painters of America Tenth National Exhibition, Palm Desert, California 2000 Finalist Landscape Category, The Artists’ Magazine’s 2000 Annual Art Competition 2000 Oil Painters of America Midwestern Regional Show, Arlington Heights, Illinois 2000 One Woman Show, Whistle Pik Galleries, Houston, Texas 1999 Finalist Still Life Category, The Artist’s Magazine’s 1999 Annual Art Competition 1999 Oil Painters of America West & Southwest Regional Exhibition, Pueblo, CO 1999 Oil Painters of America Eighth National Exhibition, Scottsdale, Arizona 1999 Scottsdale Artist’s School, The Best and Brightest, Scottsdale, Arizona 1998 Finalist - Landscape Category, The Artist’s Magazine’s 1998 Annual Art Competition 1998 Plein Air Painters of America Scholarship Award, Scottsdale Artists’ School - The Best and Brightest,Scottsdale, Arizona 1998 Top 200 - National Park Academy of the Arts, Arts for the Parks, Wyoming 1998 Oil Painters of America Seventh National Exhibition, Washington, D. C. 1998 Pastels USA International Open Exhibition, Rosedale, California 1998 Bosque County Conservatory of Fine Art, Clifton, Texas 1997 New Mexico Pastel Society, Albuquerque, New Mexico 1997 Scottsdale Artists’ School, The Best and Brightest, Scottsdale, Arizona 1996 Oil Painters of America Fifth National Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas 1996 Oil Painters of America Southwest Exhibition, Albuquerque, New Mexico 1995 Pastel Society of the Southwest Open Show, Dallas, Texas 1994 One Woman Show, St. Luke’s Rotunda Gallery, Houston, Texas Selected Publications: Plein Air Magazine, January, 2005 100 Ways to Paint Flowers and Gardens, 2004, International Artist Books The Artist’s Magazine Limited Edition 2003 Calendar Theologia, Cover, summer, 2002 The Houston Chronicle, October, 2001 The Artist’s Magazine, February, 2001 Painting More Creatively, North Light Books International Artist Magazine, The Showcase of U.S. Painters, Feb/March, 2000 Southwest Art Magazine, Artists to Watch, October, 1999 The Best of Flower Painting 2, North Light Publications The Houston Chronicle, April, 1999 Art for Little Texans, Children’s Hospital of Austin