Ogunquit, Maine has long drawn artists to its side streets, coves, beaches and rocky shorelines. There’s something about the rustic, coastal authenticity of Perkins Cove. The slow change of seasons on Shore Road. The countless vantage points on the Marginal Way from which to behold the grand drama of sun-glittered surf ceaselessly smashing in salty sprays against a rugged and weather-worn, cliff-strewn shoreline. The calming flow of the Ogunquit River winding towards the open, sandy, coastal vistas of Ogunquit Beach.
Local written history is peppered with influential art-world names like Charles Woodbury, Henry Strater, Edward Hopper, Robert Henri, George Bellows, Walt Kuhn, Marsden Hartley and many others who were pulled towards the environs of Ogunquit with their eyes set firmly on creative pursuits.
These days, as you walk the scenic areas of Ogunquit, there is one artist most likely to capture your attention. Her name is Mary Byrom.
CLICK PLAY BELOW to see a video of Mary Byrom painting at The Hartwell House Inn on Shore Road, Ogunquit and The Marginal Way:
You’ll probably first notice her signature wide-brimmed bucket hat, as she stands working on the coast amidst her painting gear like a person out of time.
There’s something about Mary that matches Ogunquit. Something in her incredible work ethic. Something in her authenticity – paint smeared, intensely focused on the task at hand, working from nature and life, racing rapidly shifting light and inspiring others in the process.
Whether you see her painting on Ogunquit Beach, the Marginal Way or down in the Lower Village and Perkins Cove — Mary Byrom just seems like she belongs there.
…and once you get close enough to see what Byrom is putting on the canvas, then you’ll know that she belongs there. The colors of Ogunquit. A minimal amount of brushstrokes conveying a maximum amount of depth and feeling. Byrom’s paintings are evocative, capturing fleeting moments of beauty, the tones of nature, the hues of sky and sea.
Although you’ll find her putting brush to canvas on the most gorgeous of spring and summer days – Byrom is no fair-weather painter. She paints all year round, to the tune of hundreds of paintings annually, in all (and I mean ALL) weather conditions.
Along the way, the stuff of sunshine, raindrops, fog, surf mist and snowflakes have fallen on her works-in-progress, locked in the paint, swirling with colors, adding whispers of places, moments, and the elemental to her art. Byrom’s paintings are more than just a depiction, they’re imbued with the quintessence of the New England experience.
Life and moments unfold in the presence of artistic creations. Paintings. Sculptures. Photography. Nature. They’re not just for looking at. They’re for living around. They add color to life. Change lives. Sometimes unbeknownst to those doing the living.
Those who feel a deep personal connection to the landscapes of New England will quickly understand how collecting Byrom’s paintings allows them to manifest cherished beach expanses, evening light, wooded snowscapes and the salt marsh inside their homes.
They’ll know enough to sit quietly in the presence of these paintings and listen for the faintest sound of roaring, crashing surf, wind rustling the coastal branches and leaves. Feel heavy droplets of ocean mist landing on their skin. Lose themselves in the perfume of beach air.
Byrom’s paintings evoke. Effortlessly.
See Mary Byrom’s Work at: marybyrom.com
