Art by Mary Rochelle Burnham

Ben , Charcoal, 14x11"  This is Ben. He is 11 years old and one of the best models that I have had the privilege of working with. I taught a two day Figure and Portrait Workshop last week and the scheduled model neither called or showed. Ben happened to be in with his mother who is on staff with the Community Arts of Tecumseh. I asked her permission to use Ben after I asked Ben if he was interested. He gave me a resounding, "yes", and he was our only model from 9 AM until 3 PM. What a trooper! Everyone loved him and I think you can truly see his wonderful personality in this charcoal sketch that I drew of him.

Into the Woods , Pastel, 19x14" SOLD This is a scene from my office window of the path that my husband mows for easy access into the woods. It tickles me to watch turkeys strut down this path or the deer promenade from out of the woods. I painted this primarily plein air and did some touch up from photo reference in my studio. Fall Splendor , Acrylic, 10x8" SOLD "All good things come to those that wait". Had this little piece in our local Manchester gallery, The Wild Acorn, for what seemed forever. I got the call today while in my Open Figure Studio in Tecumseh, that my piece had sold. This scene is from one of my husband and mine's many forays into northern Michigan. Linda , Oil, 12x9" SOLD Linda was our model today at Open Figure Studio. She is fantastic and doesn't move a bit. At break time she  once again becomes her usual bubbly personality! Linda is a wonderful artist in her own right and I am proud to say that she has been one of...

Shhh, I Hear The Light , Acrylic on panel, 12 x 9" SOLD I've had a terrifically busy few weeks since my last post. I taught a two day Portrait Workshop Boot Camp, that was fabulous. Just a great bunch of students and a couple of terrific models. I did a two day outside event of my fine art, that unfortunately, the weather did not co-operate and I had to pull out early due to high winds. I have been teaching my acrylic, pastel and portrait classes and several commissions and caricature jobs that came my way took up my time. T he Whole Cat and Kaboodle Challenge  was  posted by  Dreama Tolle Perry  on  Saturday May 14, 2011. I got around to it this morning. Originally, I intended to do it in oil, but got sidetracked when I decided to use acrylic to cover and tone a panel that I had used to demo in one of my acrylic classes. My husband, Rich, provided the title. I hope to do a version in oil, if I can spare the time.

Letting Go , pastel 9 x 9" SOLD The All about Me Challenge was posted by Carol Marine on Saturday Apr 30, 2011. The details are:  This challenge is just for fun - simply paint a self portrait. Nothing to learn here, except perhaps that a self portrait is frickin' hard! So, make it normal, make it silly, but let us see the real you!  I was captivated by the "let us see the real you". The real me has little to do with how I look and everything to do with who I am. I love blue skies, the warmth of the sun on my face and having a connection with nature. I am in awe of God's creation and I am thankful to be alive. OK, I am well aware of the cliché, pushing up daisies. Soon after the photo was taken that I used for reference of myself, I was diagnosed with cancer. It was one of the scariest passages of my life and one of the most profound. After surgery, I was given a good prognosis and I am just shy of my five year anniversary. A day doesn't go by that I ...

Memento Mori, pastel, 12 x 9" SOLD One of the skulls that either my husband or I have found and cleaned up over the years. I guess its an artist thing...at least this artist. I have always been fascinated with anatomy. I used to study my father's manuals from when he was a medic in World War II. I believe all the copying of skeletons and muscles helped me to develop tremendously in portraiture. On this particular piece, I was mostly concerned with painting the light and not the minutia of the skull. I was going for drama with the color. It was sad to me that this healthy young buck was shot and ran off to die, undiscovered until he could not be eaten. My husband came across his corpse while taking a leisurely walk in the woods and brought home his head. I find his skull both beautiful and disturbing, just like this story.

Pulse of New York , Color pencil on paper, 7 x 5" SOLD Yet, another Daily Paintworks Challenge! I love doing figures, and I have already done an oil painting on this theme, All A Twitter . Many of you have commented on the use of my color on the DPW site. I love color, it is music for my eyes! New York is pretty drab, but definitely an exciting place. Color is what excites me and is a good metaphor for the sounds, smells and intensity of the city as well as the look in this woman's posture and face. Here is my second version in acrylic: Pulse of New York 2 , Acrylic on panel, 7 x 5" SOLD I haven't worked in acrylic lately, other than demonstrating for my students. Thought I'd give in a whirl! I used a limited palette and like the subtle difference in the color scheme.

Two of a Kind , Oil on panel, 9 x 12" SOLD I was fortunate to be able to take my mother to Bermuda several years ago, prior to her illness that took her from me. I photographed these intensely colored flowers growing on an old stone wall. A apt metaphor for our relationship. I can hear her now, "Mary, I like your flowers...they will look great on my wall!"