Fine Art Paintings
by Mary Crittenden

Fine Art
Oil Paintings
Acrylic Paintings
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friends

Friends

Oil on Canvas 30" x 24"

This painting is about the importance of friends. “Friends” was created from a very bad photo. Mary could hardly see the figures of the boys and had to get help from volunteers who would model for her. She wouldn’t have used this photo except for the story she saw in it. Mary saw three boys meeting together on a hillside talking with each other. A good friend is more precious than gold. Gold is here today and gone tomorrow. Friends will stand by us in good and bad times. They encourage us in our dreams and help us stand strong for the values and truths we believe in. Today people seem too busy to take the time that’s needed to make close friends and to be a friend to others to put others before our own desires. That is partly why Mary was drawn to do this painting of three boys together in a time when television didn’t exist and The brand names on clothes weren’t important.

“Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24

Boxing

Boxing

Acrylic on Illustration Board 16.5" x 12"

This is a story about a fight that doesn’t seem to be going well for the fighter in the painting. The expression on the fighter’s face tells us that his opponent is winning and his manager is telling him not to give up, to go out there and win the fight. This painting is a metaphor, it happens in life. We are sometimes the boxers, facing odds that seem to big for us to handle and other times we’re on the outside like the manager. We like the manager can give our time to train those who need more than words and help them when they are down. As the boxer facing odds, trials to big to handle, we don’t have to face them alone; there is help the Bible says so…

Limited Edition Lithograph Prints: 650 S/N
Print Size: 21" x 16.5"
Image Size: 19" x 14"
Price: $300.00

 

Cotton Picking

Cotton Picking

Oil on Canvas 28" x 22"

This painting was inspired from an old black and white photograph of her mother-in-law picking cotton with her brothers. Mary wanted to remind people that there is beauty in work, hard work was a way of life and children would help in the work, as they were a family. The sun shining on the cotton, the colors in the shadows of those working, the sacks used to put cotton in and the expressions on their faces help to tell a story. To think they never knew that one day this picture that was taken would be made into a painting to encourage others; to stir memories of the past. Mary chose vibrant colors because she saw so much life expressed in it.

Limited Edition Lithograph Prints: 650 S/N
Print Size: 27.125" x 23"
Image Size: 25" x 21.5"
Price: $500.00

 

 

Girl At The Depot

Girl At The Depot

This painting was inspired from an old photograph taken at a train depot. There was a lot more in the photo but it was the girl with the dark eyes in the photo that caught Mary’s attention. The painting was designed around the girl, standing alone, holding her hat and waiting. The people in the background and depot were painted in the shadow to draw attention to the girl. In the painting no one seems to notice the girl standing alone Mary leaves the rest of the story up to the viewer.

Limited Edition Lithograph Prints: 650 S/N
Print Size: 16" x 19"
Image Size: 14" x 16"
Price: $350.00

 

Girl At The Depot

Prayer of a Child

 

In this painting a mother is washing the laundry on a washboard, glances at her son and sees him praying. His sister is placing her hands together as she sees her brother doing. Mary wanted to say many things in this painting, the training of our children to go to the Father in prayer at any time for any reason. We never know who is watching us as the sister sees her brother praying, so are we are light and salt in this world and as the mother has lived the truth before the children and then they live it before others. The light of God is seen in us and passed on.

Mary chose cool colors to express the time of day early in the morning. She wanted the boy’s face to be seen as peace. This peace doesn’t depend on circumstances it is given to us through a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 8:3,4

Limited Edition Lithograph Prints: 650 S/N
Print Size: 22" x 27.125"
Image Size: 20" x 24.5"
Price: $450.00

Miner Street

Miner Street


Oil on Canvas
5' x 3'

Mary painted this from an old photograph of Miner Street in 1898. She wanted to express a hot summer day before before the time of the automobile. This was a time when the telegraph was the fastest communication. She used the library for her research. The pictures she took were of the buildings that still stand. She used new fronts and an imagination in creating this scene. Her goal was to make the picture come alive as if it were painted by someone who was there. Her use of both color and strokes in her painting help to tell her story of the Miner Street of 1898.

A Walk In The Stream

A Walk In The Stream

Oil on Canvas 24" x 30"

Mary toned the canvas with red and designed the trees in a way that would draw people into the painting. In this painting Mary wanted to convey a message;  As the women are walking down the stream only see what is in front of them, so we can only see what is happening now. As the women take one step at a time so we need to do in our lives, putting our trust in the Lord.

“Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct your paths”
Proverbs 3:5,6

 

Reflections by the Lilly Pads

Reflections by the Lilly Pads

Oil on Canvas 19" x 22"

Four Women on a Fence

Four Women on a Fence

Oil on Canvas 28" x 22"
Mary chose to tone the canvas with a warm orange color allowing the colored canvas to show between strokes of paint giving vibrancy and movement to the painting. She kept the detail simple allowing room for the viewer to fill in the story.  Her desire was to draw people into the friendship that developed between women in an era when life wasn’t complicated with progress and people made time for friendships to develop.

Woman on a Rock

Woman on a Rock

Oil on Board 23" x 29"

Pirate

Pirate

Oil on Board 16" x 18"; Image 11"x 12"

Mary used a model to pose for this painting and with many small strokes of paint she painted character and strength into his face and hands. Mary wanted to paint the feeling of being out at sea. The memories of living by the ocean played a big part in the choices she made for this painting. Mary has a love for the ocean, the smell of the saltwater, the breeze and sound of the surf. The ocean waves that never end remind her of the power of God the creator of everything.

 

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