We were lucky to catch up with Mariah Reading recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mariah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I grew up in a very artistic household with parents that always encouraged my brother and I to be creative. I took all the art classes in middle and high school, but it wasn’t until my junior year that I realized I wanted to pursue art professionally. There is an incredible “Student Craft Institute” program for Maine high school students to attend the prestigious Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle for a weekend. I was chosen for this program, and although I already considered myself a passionate painter at the time, I was worried I would not be cut out for the grueling studio hours required of art majors in college. But this program gave me the confidence to dive into that decision. I felt so privileged to get to immerse within the moody beauty of foggy coastal Maine in spring and attend intensive classes on silversmithing, a craft I knew little to nothing about. Despite the unfamiliar medium, time evaporated when I was in the studio and I spent long hours into the night making jewelry. This experience was foundational in understanding the depth of my passion for the arts. As I cherished every moment in the long hours of creating something, I realized I could build a life around that fueling process.

Mariah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been contemplating my relationship with art and the vast amount of waste creating can produce. Classically trained as a landscape painter, I pivoted to eco art when the parallel between painting landscapes and feeding landfills became overwhelmingly apparent. The landscapes that so richly inspired me were being hurt by the waste I created in order to depict them. To rectify this unwanted connection, I have developed a limited-waste practice that involves creating canvases from debris found during my travels through public lands. The physical pieces of trash are painted only on one side and intentionally left untouched on the reverse so the original piece of debris remains evident. Once completed, I photograph the painted object aligned with the physical landscape to both obscure and highlight the discarded object. My practice revolves around ways I can lessen my footprint upon Earth and leave it better than I found it.
Since starting this process, I have worked and traveled across the country for various National and State Parks, participating in Art Residencies, shows, and teaching classes. Currently, I am based in Maine and sell my work online and in local shops.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My favorite book growing up was “Miss Rumphius” or the Lupine Lady. The premise being that a small girl is told by her grandfather that she must find a way to make the world a more beautiful place. After traveling the world, the girl returns to her home in Maine and spreads lupine seeds around so every June the coastline is filled with the purple and pinks of the tall flower. Since first reading that book, I have been trying to find ways through my art to make the world a more beautiful place.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

This is actually a very fresh story as I have worked as a seasonal interpretive ranger for the National Park Service for most of my adult life. I loved my work and felt very honored to get to live in such incredibly beautiful places and teach the public about the land they were visiting. I split my years up so I would work full time as a ranger in the summers, making art here and there when I could, and then having winters to focus on my business. This arrangement offered me stability and flexibility taking me to California, Alaska, and Michigan. However, this year the rug got pulled out from underneath many of our feet. My story is far from unique, but it was devastating to lose my career and passion in the park service in the blink of an eye. In a matter of weeks, I had to apply to jobs, interview, and move across the country. Luckily, I was able to get a part-time year-round position working as a Visual Arts Instructor at a nonprofit on the coast of Maine. I now live next to Acadia National Park, and will continue to fight for the NPS as a private citizen. This was a large and abrupt pivot, but I am excited to remain in one place for longer than six months, sink into a location I care so much about, and have continuous work throughout the year to pair with my own business. Silver linings are all around, but that does not mean what is happening to public services is anywhere near okay.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mariahreadingart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahreading/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariahreadingart/
• Other: Tiktok: MariahReading