This week’s featured artist: Larry Booth, member since 2014:
ME: I moved to Annapolis in 1984 from Detroit, MI. After working for IBM for 26 years, I retired as a Senior Consultant and ran my own computer consulting firm until my retirement in 2014.
I came to art in my mid-40s, studying under established artists at Castle Hill, Cape Cod; Maryland Hall for the Arts, MD, and at Anne Arundel Community College, MD. Major influences on my work have been Don Cook, Roxanne Weidele, and Leonard Koscianski.
I feel I am at the beginning of my art career at age 69. While all of life is a learning process, I bring to my art all of my life experience. I do not expect to ever master even the small area of art in which I have chosen to concentrate. But I gain the greatest joy from trying.
MY ART: I work in watercolor and oil. Both offer me special challenges and excitement. My objective as an artist is to impart the emotional thrill I feel when observing a particular image. The color, value, and shapes contained in an image are exciting, and the drama created by these elements provides a never-ending source of wonder to me. I prefer representational renderings and I lean toward seascape, landscape, and architecture because of the dramatic light and endless variation available. Lately, I have become interested in including people pursuing their daily pleasures.
I work outdoors for inspiration from the light of the moment. But I prefer to do quick sketches accompanied by photographs that I use as source material while finishing the paintings in the studio. Visit my website to see my work at www.lobooth.com.
MFA & ME: I joined MFA in November of 2014 when I began pursuing my fulltime art career. While my tenure with MFA has been short, the activities and members are having a major impact on my work. My first experience was with Collector’s Choice. I helped out with the MFA Holiday Store on West Street, and I exhibited in the Winter Member’s juried show in January. And I was fortunate to be selected to exhibit in Mélange II this year. The members and staff have been friendly, helpful, and always available when I needed them. The MFA is indeed a world-class organization.
Spread the word about…YOU: Every week, we feature an MFA member for “Me & My Art Monday.” If you would like to be featured, please submit a photo and three paragraphs: one each about YOU, YOUR ART, and MFA & YOU totaling approximately 350 words, to meandmyart@mdfedart.org.