Artist's Bio
A native Floridian, I was raised in Sarasota. I grew up with a keen interest in the arts, encouraged by my artistic Mother. My Mom counted among her friends renowned artists who lived and worked in the Sarasota area. I was fortunate enough to be influenced by many talented individuals.
From an early age, I took classes in painting and sculpture at the Ringling Museum of Art. I showed potential, and accordingly I had the opportunity to study privately with accomplished local artists. I entered my work in juried art shows and was encouraged when I won awards. After attending Ringling School of Art for a short time, my studies continued at Florida Atlantic University. I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in liberal arts. I was hired by a major airline as a flight attendant, and for years I traveled extensively to many international destinations. I met and married my husband Chet. Years later, our daughter Christine was fully grown. I retired from flying, and I was able to concentrate fully on painting again. My interest in learning and expanding my horizons artistically never left me.
My husband Chet and I currently live near Miami, Florida. Our travels, especially to Africa, have inspired many paintings. I paint with oils, acrylics, pastels, and more recently, watercolor. I sign my work MJ Webb. Before my marriage, I signed work with my maiden name, Mary Jane Adams.
Among my most recent projects are two dimensional, or two-way paintings. These works are painted and constructed to reveal hidden images, the image always being dependent on the perspective of the viewer. My inspiration for this technique was an 18th century oil painting I once admired at a museum in Vienna, Austria. It has taken me several years to develop a methodology for creating this effect in watercolor. For me, executing this type of painting is very time consuming and involves many steps. It requires patience, but I enjoy the creative process and the end result.
As an artist, I am especially interested in the visual and emotional impact art imparts on the viewer. A work of art, closely examined, gives changing impressions. The transient, abstract nature of artistic images is what I attempt to communicate in my paintings.