Painting by Marvel Wynn

Art is about discovery. We can discover things about ourselves, about others, and about the world just by examining a piece of artwork. Other times, stumbling upon an unfamiliar artist can spark a discovery of great proportions.

I recently came across the artwork of Marvel Wynn through a private collection. I was immediately drawn to the artist's simplistic style, her bold use of color, and her consummate skill at portraying a variety of emotions through such familiar forms. I had never heard her name before, so I decided to do a little research to find out more.

Marvel Wynn Whiteleather was born in 1915 in Canton, Ohio. She was an artist from a very young age, continuing the artistic sensibility that ran in her family. She received her first oil paint set from her parents at age 14 and began studying art at the Margaret Morrison school at Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon).

Painting by Marvel Wynn

She also studied at the Cleveland Art Institute under one of her favorite artists, John Tyrol, as well as with figure painters Sigmund Abeles and Jan DeRuth. In 1957, Marvel spent a two week vacation in Southport Island, which began a life-long love affair with Maine. Her work has appeared in the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland, the Bowdoin Museum of Art in Brunswick, and Mast Cove Galleries in Kennebunkport, where she exhibited for 22 years.

Marvel painted figures of women almost exclusively, yet she did paint a landscape from time to time. Her style is very much reminiscent of Gustav Klimt, the Austrian Art Nouveau master. The hard angles and bold juxtapositions of color and pattern of Marvel's paintings serve to emphasize her subjects' emotional qualities. There is a true vulnerability at the heart of Marvel's work which I find inspiring.

In 1975 Marvel received the International Women's Year Award for Outstanding Cultural Contributions and Dedication to Women in Art, and in 1984 moved to Yarmouth, painting in a studio that overlooked the Royal River. She passed away at age 87 in 2002.

It is unfortunate that many people have never heard of Marvel nor seen her work. The beauty of discovery, however, is that we may share what we find with others. I hope you enjoy Marvel's work as much as I do, and are inspired to search out new art and artists that will expand your mind.

*Images from Wills and Trusts