Mary Kroger

Mary was born and reared on Long Beach, California. In 1967 she moved to Berkeley and worked for a while before returning to college to earn a teaching credential there.
She moved to the East Bay and taught special education and regular education for twenty years, while raising her family.
After moving to Sacramento in 2000 she retired and had the great joy of pursuing her lifelong interest - Art. When she was working, she sketched and occasionally painted. The last few years she has focused on learning to paint. When she was teaching, she taught as much art as she could fit into the curriculum. She learned a lot from teaching art and observing the children create. Her hope and plan is to pursue this interest in art for the rest of her life. This pursuit offers her joy, challenge, and serendipity.
She tries to create beauty and wonder in her paintings. Another interest of hers is travel and she hopes to see as much of the world as she can. Her sketchbook is her best friend on these trips.
In her paintings she explores texture and color. She also loves the contrast of light and dark. She loves being outside, so she also enjoys painting landscapes. Many of her landscapes are created from her memory and imagination.
She thinks some of her better work is created when she revisits something that she painted and then was not satisfied with. Obviously she likes bright bold colors, but some of her work is quieter. 
Sometimes she begins with an idea, and sees where it takes her on the paper or canvas. Creating art is one of her greatest joys, and sometimes one of her greatest frustrations.