 | | | Marianne K. Brown (1928-2020), teacher and mentor for local art group MKB Artists. Photo Carol Irwin | | | | | | The art work of Marianne K. Brown (MKB) Artists will be exhibited at Orinda Books during the month of June. The public is invited to meet the artists at a reception at the bookstore (276 Village Square, Orinda) on Saturday, June 8, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Marianne K. Brown was a resident of Moraga and taught watercolor painting in the Lamorinda community for 48 years. MKB Artists are 12 of her students who have continued to collaborate since their mentor's death in 2020. They meet weekly to share and critique their own art in the spirit of Marianne. Her persona and techniques thread through their creative processes and bind them together in their love for art and for their mentor.
As an artist, Marianne exhibited her work and won awards locally and nationally. While most of her work is abstract or non-objective, and was created using watercolor, she taught her students many different art styles and media types, including watercolor, pastels, gouache, monotype, and collage. Her great gift was helping painters loosen up and find their own expression.
In Marianne's words, "In some ways, age opens doors. I have been teaching for over 40 years and have never repeated a lesson. Most of my ideas come from my imagination - I just keep getting new ideas of how to use watercolor and subject matter. The ideas arise day and night, and then I can't wait to see how they will look on paper. My message to my students is to have fun; we have to have fun or we won't do it. I'm also learning something new every time. We always teach what we need to learn." |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA