Terri Wentzell
As long as I can remember, art has been an exceptionally important part of my life. I was very fortunate to have a very thoughtful and creative mother who patiently showed me the artistic beauty in my childhood surroundings: the mountain, lakes, and wildlife of Maine’s resplendent Rangeley Lakes area…..a place I still call home.
I paint in watercolor, a medium that allows me to express feelings of light, calm, and joy with ease. Painting in an Impressionistic style of colorful and loose paint strokes, I use the slant of the easel to enhance the movement of the wet paint, producing glowing and surprising results. The challenge of leaving the white of the paper in areas of the painting to accentuate light results in pleasing highlights and luminous shine. Light, my primary focus, transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.
My lovely home state of Maine provides me with a profusion of rich and dear subject matter. Some of my favorite painting subjects are: the lakes and mountains of Rangeley, the seacoast with its quaint fishing villages, rocky shorelines and scenic ocean views; and the colorful cottages, flower gardens, and vintage farms that are scattered throughout the Lakes and Coastal regions.
Through the years, my painting has benefited from schooling, private lessons, workshops, and plein air excursions, giving me a wide range of experience. I attended Portland School of Art, now Maine College of Art, with a focus of fine art. Most recently, and for the past several years, I have studied with Jan Kilburn of Damariscotta.