We recently connected with Maryellyn Lynott and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Maryellyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t painting, I began studying under Dan Mistrik, when I was 8 until I went to college. I was his youngest student. (All his other students were adults). I learned the classic techniques in oil painting. From there I received my BFA in Illustration/painting from Carnegie Mellon. After graduation I moved to NYC and apprenticed under Giancarlo Impiglia. I did some illustration work on the side to make ends meet. I discovered you could afford Manhattan rent if you worked in film and event production vs painting for a living.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I worked my way up the ladder in what is known as Business Theater – live event production. Staging events and meetings for clients with audiences of 50-30,000. I worked my way up from Production Assistant, Producer, Executive Producer, Director of Production to Creative Director working in NYC, San Francisco and DC.
Working with clients from multiple industries was fascinating and allowed a “cross pollination” of ideas and projects. NY was pharmaceutical and consumer goods;, San Francisco clients were high tech and biotech, and DC projects were government and association.
I used my creative talents storyboarding film, video and graphics as well as set design. I’ve won several prestigious awards for my work.
Covid brought my industry to a halt and I returned to my first love, painting.
I bring all my experience in to my paintings, focus on lighting and design as well as storytelling to try to capture a the moment in time.
I live in a community that supports the arts and have had several group shows. My work is carried in Annapolis Marine Art Gallery in Annapolis, MD, “Annapolis Marine Art” where I will have a show in mid January. I am in several other exhibits and shows in the next couple of months.
One of my paintings was on the cover of the September ‘23 issue of Attraction Magazine
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
We are defined as a society by the arts. Eras seem to be are described in terms of the arts. (Renaissance, Deco, Nouveau etc) Unfortunately the arts art the first to lose funding in schools and communities. Donating to schools for art supplies and allowing art space in communities are some ways to help. In doing this it also allows communities to come together and thrive.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most rewarding part of painting isn’t the sales, which is nice, but it is the problem solving. How do I create a feel, what colors work best against each other, how to use the brush to create movement, how do I convey the feeling of a space, how do I see things.
Additionally painting allows time to disappear. When painting my mind is solely focused on what I am painting and all the other chatter goes away
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.maryellyn.com
- Instagram: MaryellynL