Artististy in the Pacific Northwest

Hello Friends,

Some exciting things coming up this fall and I hope you will join me.

Coming up in two weeks I will be showing at Seldens (Tacoma, Washington) for their special event, "Artistry of the Pacific Northwest" on Saturday, October 7th from 12pm-4pm. I will have sculptures, paintings, and drawings on view placed in a beautiful home setting. The artwork will be up through the end of October if you aren't able to attend on Saturday.

Live sculpting of "Jeffrey," the 90-year-old horse is also part of the October 7th event! I spent the better part of August sculpting in the field and I'll bring the project inside for a few hours! Fun videos taken by my daughter here on Instagram.



June kicked off with transportation of the larger than life, Saint Anne, in clay to Reinmuth Foundry in Eugene, Oregon. (See how we did it here). She is being cast in bronze and will be placed in the healing garden of Saint Anne Hospital in Burien, Washington (Seatac area) sometime in early November. Details coming soon on The unveiling ceremony. I am SO excited!

I have a few Presentations about the process of my work scheduled for Oct. 20th, TRIPOD (Tacoma), Nov. 9th at Herrons Key(Gig Harbor) and January 17th (Tampa, FL). If you would like to join please email me and I can send you the details.

Workshop! I will be teaching a 3-day sculpting workshop in Tampa, Florida from January 18-20 and it would be so fun to see many of you there. Kerry Vosler Atelier is hosting us at her beautiful studio. Details here: https://www.mardierees.com/classes

Hope you are adjusting to the new fall schedule with grace!

I saw Saints and Angels in France

Mardie Rees standing in the Hall of Classical Sculpture, Museé Des Beaux-Arts de Dijon, France - “Hebe and the Eagle of Jupiter” by François Rude

Hello Friends,

I returned home safe from three whole weeks in France this last October!

What began as a trip to attend an artist residency in Chateau D'Orquevaux, turned into a pilgrimage of sorts. It became a pilgrimage to see Saints and Angels all over eastern France. I sought beauty and sculpture in every possible location: churches, art museums, town centers and graveyards. I carried my sketch book and camera everywhere in order to document and memorize everything I saw. I looked for work that moved me to tears and pieces that I would have never thought possible. I felt God's hand guiding me town to town as I sought out the beauty created by sculptors and artisans of the past. Traveling alone allowed me to feel the stillness in a cathedral and the emotion in a piece of carved marble. I could even choose to study an angel in a graveyard all day if I felt inspired.

I then returned home grateful for the opportunity to experience historic art as a veteran sculptor, but I will always feel as a student when witnessing the work of the greats of the past. I am continually inspired and steadfast in my efforts to offer my gifts to the world. I am thankful also for Jeremy's support in holding the fort down with three kids at home and for my Mom's backup support. It is good to be home and surrounded by such love, and back in my studio again.

I hope you enjoy some of the photos from my trip and may they inspire you as well. Remember that art does not happen alone! Art happens with patrons and supporters of the artist as well.

Thank you for being a light in my life and all your encouragement through the years.

P.S. In case you were wondering - I am back at work sculpting Saint Anne in monument size and putting the finishing touches on the maquette of Saint Michael's glass wings.

My studio in Chateau D'Orquevaux Artist Residency

My studio in Chateau D'Orquevaux Artist Residency

Painting the canal in front of the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam with my longtime friend, Liesbeth Stol

A sketch showing the mastery of Albert Bartholome's work (in Lyon). To say he captures a peoples' mourning viscerally would be an understatement

Captivated by “Monument aux Morts” by Albert Bartholome (1895-1899) at Musee des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, I spent an afternoon sketching this work.

Camlle Caludel Museum in Norgent-sur-Seine. Claudel is one of my favorite sculptors

Dinner in Lyon while making a quick watercolor sketch of La Bisique Norte Dame du Fourviere, on the hill before it got dark.

Nestled inside transept of the 11th-century church of Saint-Etienne in Rue Vaillant of Dijon, I discovered the Musée Rude (François Rude). Seeing a piece included in the Arc de Triomphe in plaster was astounding.

Came across the angel placed upon Lucienne Calmettes tomb (victime de la liberation de Paris) at 22 years old. The cost of Freedom...

The shadow, the sweetness and autumn leaves compelled me to sit down and sketch this piece in watercolor before the light shifted. I spent the whole day discovering the many beautiful sculptures found in Pere Lachaise cemetery, Paris, France.

Creating art with luggage! A suitcase also makes a good seat when you need a lot of time to draw and paint. This angel (Monuments aux mort 2870) in Chaumont, France lifted my heart and gave me wings.

Watercolor painting done while sitting on my suitcase.

A visit with Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux’s “Four Parts of the World Supporting the Heavenly Sphere” - never ceases to inspire me. They spiral around each other while some carry an expression full of emotion- Africa, Asia, America, and Europe. My favorite being Africa represented behind where I am standing. I am standing in the Musee D’Orsay, Paris.

Anatomy sketch in the Louvre. I could have spent weeks doing this!

Sketching in Besancon, France. This piece at Eglise Sainte-Madeleine is something I have never seen in person before. It is so dark I can barely make out what is going on but that is also the allure of it. The yellow and orange lighting draws you in to the sculpture set way high behind the altar.

Quick watercolor sketch of the full moon while standing at the edge of this Langres’ town wall in the dark. I was surprised it turned out because I could not see what I was doing. Langres dates back to 2,000 years ago and existed before Roman Times. Langres, France (the very town my friend Claire Vachez grew up in! - a French exchange student in our family many years ago) The walls date back to the Middle Ages.

Saint Michael's Wings

Hello Friends,

After a beautiful summer in the Northwest full of camping, surfing, and hiking - it's time to get back in the studio.

I have a few large projects in the works (Saint Anne), but before I get my hands too deep in mud, I am going to France! Two years ago I received a Grant to attend the Chateau D'Orquevaux Artist Residency. I postponed the trip, but now that traveling has returned to some sense of normalcy, I will be attending this October from the 3rd - 17th. I am excited to meet all the artists and spend two weeks focusing on creating art in a new environment without the distractions of family life and my typical responsibilities. The inspiration!! To know more about where I am going you can see a video here>

below I am standing in front of my completed red chalk drawing, "Saint Michael's Wing." I spent many weeks sculpting both sides of the swan wing (on loan from the Slatter Museum) as I worked on Saint Michael. After looking at many drawings and paintings of angels - few of them show the back side of the wing, I thought it appropriate to draw the swan wing to scale and from the reverse! Do you feel the jet stream?

In recent weeks I've completed the maquette of Saint Michael for Saint Michael Hospital in Silverdale and the maquette for Saint Anne Hospital in Burien. My lifesize piece of Saint Anne I will begin on my return from France.