Mary Ellen Mittelstaedt is a non-objective/abstract expressionist artist, originally from New Orleans. Having drawn all her life, she felt the freedom to fully pursue her artistic intentions upon moving to Arizona. She primarily works with acrylic paint and collage, a medium that allows her to play, experiment, and let freedom and joy drive her work. Her artwork is described as unplanned, impulsive, and intuitive, focusing on color, layers, and textures, translating her random feelings and questions into view while contemplating how the light gets in. She draws inspiration from renowned artists such as Cezanne, Wolf Kahn, Emily Mason, and Richard Diebenkorn.