Amber Waves of Grain Framed Print - Marybeth Heikes

16x20 in silver frame.

This print is a continuation of my Iowa landscape series. I am inspired to paint the rolling hills of crops, the disappearing barns full of character, silos and other farm implements. The combination of geometric shapes and curvilinear forms interest me.

Marybeth Heikes has been drawing and painting her whole life. She grew up in the Cleveland suburbs, and took Saturday morning classes at the Cleveland Museum of Art. She also studied at Cooper School of Art.

Her watercolors and acrylic collages are characterized by dramatic designs and bold, tropical colors. Her passion is still lifes, animals, and city and rural landscapes.

Marybeth’s award-winning paintings have been exhibited in many regional, national and international juried competitions including the Adirondacks National Rocky Mountain Watermedia and Watercolor West. Her masterful technique led her works to be included in a 10-person show in Soho, New York and a finalist in the National New Talent Search at the Aquarius Gallery in Cambria, California. She is a signature member of the Iowa Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. She has been featured in the American Artist and The Artist’s Magazine, and also the Iowa Woman, Sunshine Artist and The Best of Sketching and Drawing publications. Her artwork can be found in numerous public and private collections. 

Artist’s Statement

I paint because it is a passion; it is what I do best and defines who I am. I express my ideas through the language of painting because it provides a sense of fulfillment. The challenge of painting allows me to communicate through watercolor and culminates in my personal visual statement.

My paintings reflect who I am, my life and the world around me. I let the ideas flow and I delight in the unknown direction I may be heading. I usually get addicted to one particular subject and follow through with a whole series of paintings depicting that particular idea. Earlier in my career, I learned that an artist can see her progress by painting in a series. Thus, I have done more than one hundred paintings of chairs. Another favorite subject is barns, of which I have painted more than sixty motifs.

I hope to be able to balance my career with both landscape and still life works. I want to paint for the people who love my work and have them continue to be passionate about the subject matter that inspires me. Every time I come close to achieving a goal, I set another goal. The best part is always having a new attainable goal. It makes you reach higher for your dreams!

The Process

I begin by setting up a still life arrangement in direct sunlight and photograph it from many angles. When designing the actual composition, I edit the photo to strengthen the design. I believe that drawing is the foundation to every great painting — I enjoy that part of the process and it helps get my creative juices flowing. I focus principally on the design at this point and plan the color scheme. My paintings are about shapes, color and textures and how their relationships work together to form the whole unit. I check the design by placing a mat over it before and during the painting process.

I paint on an easel which helps me evaluate the painting by stepping back away from it. During the painting process the ideas flow and frequently I write down other thoughts in my journal. I use a variety of pigments and paint on a 300# paper to eliminate stretching and buckling