A LIFE OF CONTRASTS
Summer. I am camping and painting on the rim of Grand Canyon.
Winter. You might find me wandering through the Met, the MOMA or Central Park, thinking about how much NYC is like Grand Canyon :)
Every year I get on an airplane and fly from Arizona to NYC. Each time I go, I whisper in my granddaughter's ear, "The Grand Canyon is just like NYC!"
People from all over the world come here. You can hear many different languages but it really helps if you know a little English.
Sunsets are magical.
You must hold hands to stay safe.
"Stay Away From the Edge of the Canyon!"
"Stay Out of the Street!"
You can ride a bus or take a long walk and you will see amazing things along the way.
Forest Rangers ride mules and policemen ride horses.
Tourists like to ride mules and take Pink Jeep tours at the canyon. In NYC, they take buggy rides in Central Park and Red Bus tours to see the sites.
You can see wild animals alongside the road at the canyon and at the zoo in Central Park.
It's a really big deal when it snows.
At night, people like to gather where they can eat and talk and laugh.
The Grand Canyon and NYC are so enchanting, it is hard to leave.
MY LIFE AS AN ARTIST
I have never settled into one style or limited myself to one subject. Having the opportunity to spend time in two different places during the year has encouraged me to try new things.
As an artist I find NYC to be as breathtaking as Grand Canyon. Going through the museums, Cy Twombly’s work is as thought provoking as Edgar Payne’s paintings are beautiful. I can see things riding the subway and on a ranch that capture my imagination.
Perhaps it is being immersed in a life force so different than my own that leaves a lasting memory of light, movement, and color. The random experience has power to evoke an emotion and then become a painting.
It is by remaining flexible and open that I continue to grow as an artist and a human being. I can’t wait to find the next inspiration wherever it is!
I live in Prescott, AZ with my artist husband George Molnar. Together, we explore and paint Arizona ranch life as well as the Grand Canyon. Our two children have moved to NYC which explains why I spend so much time there.
My formative years were spent in my father’s gallery (Jay Schmidt, New Master's Gallery) in Carmel, CA. I moved on to do commissioned portraiture for many years and then landscape. Today I prefer to paint my experiences, from ranch life to Grand Canyon to NYC.
Marcia shows in Mountain Trails Gallery in Sedona, AZ, and the Broadmoor Galleries in Colorado Springs, CO.