We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mary Masterson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mary below.

Mary, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Five years ago, I lost a granddaughter. My then-daughter-in-law was using Meth during her pregnancy. My granddaughter was born at 25 weeks, 15 weeks early, and just a week from being able to live outside of the womb. I held her little hand while she was in ICU the day she died. She was my first grandchild and I was heartbroken and honestly, floored that I didn’t realize what was going on during her pregnancy. My son barely survived it. Her name was Trinity, She was born on March 3rd and lived for 3 days.
I was counseled by a friend who recommended that I find a way to work through my grief by giving Trinity a life history that she was denied. Write stories about her, paint pictures of her… build her a life. That’s when I started to paint.
I had painted rocks for fun, no big deal, but when I picked up a canvas for the first time and painted her, something happened to me. I started painting daily. I would wake up at 4 a.m. and pick up my paintbrush and paint a new painting before heading off to work at 8.
I live near the beach in Southern California so many of my first works were Trinity, which I depicted as a little red-haired girl, playing at the ocean, or running through fields as a young teen, or blowing a conch shell as a young adult.
I’ve painted a lot of other subjects since then, some for me, some for others as commissioned works, and some for Trinity when the muse shows up with a new memory of her that she did live out until it was painted.
My son is now remarried and has a 2-year-old daughter, Jenna, who is amazing. She has stolen and helped heal my heart.
For Christmas, I painted a portrait for my son of him skipping stones across a still pond with Jenna at his side, and named it Lessons. Lessons learned and now lessons that he passes on to his little red-haired baby girl.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Mary Masterson, and I am a nerdy, creative. I express my creative side through paint on canvas and am developing an organic CBD skincare line that I am preparing to launch in the near future. My nerdy side shows up during my (other) day job, as I work in the medical field and have worked in engineering. Yep, I’m a left-brained, right-brained kind of girl. I’ve painted canvas for about 5 years now, starting the process to help me work through a personal issue, and then my muse showed up. I’m pretty sure she has red hair and lives on the East Coast because she likes to wake me up 3 hours earlier than I would be willing to get up on my own, here in California, and demand to be painted.
I would originally post paintings that I was happy with on Facebook and/or Instagram and friends and followers would encourage me, and then began to offer to buy them. ‘What?! Well… okay!’
I reached out to a local gallery and submitted samples of my artwork and was chosen as Artist of the Month, displaying several works. Since then, I have displayed and sold many of my paintings, as well as commissioned works. I love it, and for me, there’s no turning back.
My favorite thing about my artwork is the connection that it provides. I love to hear what people see in my art or how it makes them feel. Sometimes it’s similar to what I had in mind and sometimes it’s totally their own journey. Either way, it’s something personal shared, bringing this world a little closer, a little more connected.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I believe building a network of fellow artists is foundational. Getting to know other creatives and tap into what makes them tick, what inspires them, and how they found that path to bring their art to others, what their story is. Canvas Interviews is a great example. I find that since I stepped out of my comfort zone and began to show and sell my art, I have met many other artists who would share how they built their presence, and with that, built a successful business as an artist.
Social media definitely will allow you to show your work, but there are other avenues to do this as well. Many cities will offer to display a local artist’s work, either in a library, community center or city hall, Check out who is willing to display your work. Once you have displayed it, doors are easier to open for Art Walks or a gallery showing.
My first showing was at a local coffee shop that supported local artists. The hard part was drumming up the courage to email their creative director with samples of my work and ask to be considered. I did it, they liked it, and I was on my path.
Don’t be afraid of the ‘no’s in life. There will always be no’s out there. Take a chance on a yes. They’re out there too!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Absolutely, It’s called sanity. I work in a demanding and sometimes stressful field as an Endoscopy Technician. I love that I work with great doctors and nurses and that I help people, but it can be physically and mentally draining.
Painting is the other side of my brain and my world. It sets me free to go wherever I choose. I will get lost for hours in a painting, only to walk away with something I never saw coming. It both grounds and frees me.
My goal is self-expression. I do for others for most of my day. My art is for me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: [email protected]
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RocksToCanvasArt.net
• Other: Redbubble.com/people/MaryJMasterson/shop

Image Credits
It’s all me