Marlene Kedl

Art by Marlene
Raised on a 125-acre farm in Botetourt County, VA, Marlene and her siblings made birds and
wild animals their friends and pets while they enjoyed unparallelled vistas of the Blue Ridge Parkway to their East, Tinker Mountain to their South, and the Allegheny Mountains to their West. They developed a great love for nature. Later Marlene began to transfer what she loved in nature onto paper, board and canvas through a brush or palette knife.
While employed by Norfolk & Western Railway Co. (later Norfolk Southern Corporation), a friend asked Marlene to accompany her to a meeting of artists. The well-known studio artist would help the other artists out of trouble if they couldn’t quite get something right. After the session, Marlene proclaimed, “I can do that!” Her girlfriend bought her starter brushes and paints and then fun began. It was awkward at first as they would drop paint laden brushes ruining their clothing, as well as the carpet. Marlene fell in love with reproducing nature onto the board, canvas and paper. After a few art festivals and shows, she coveted the thrill of people loving her artwork and better yet, having them purchase her art to adorn the walls of their homes.
After retirement, she moved to North Central Florida and began meeting weekly with other
artists to draw using live models. Moving later to St. Augustine, she is enjoying changing her art from mountains to what she sees in Florida. She had painted white birds, but now she lives among them. She sold many paintings of lighthouses, but now she has one close to her.
Marlene’s goal has been to create realistic portrayals of the world around her. She once
attended an art function with a friend who made the case that he didn’t like realistic art. He much preferred interpretations of something rather than a painting that looked much like a photograph. He
couldn’t see the point in a realistic painting. Marlene has pondered that remark for some time. She recognizes that art is a very individual preference with people having their favorite types of art. She realizes that while some may appreciate what she creates, it might not be something they would hang
on their walls. She has been experimenting with different techniques well out of her comfort zone and that has been a good thing. No matter what subject matter, medium, or technique, she desires that the beholders of her art find merit in what she produces. She enjoys painting with oils on canvas and board, watercolors on cold press paper, and does freehand paintings on oil lamps.
Besides entering local art festivals, Marlene is a docent at The Beach Gallery and Art Studio on
Anastasia Island and is a member of the St. Augustine Art Association.
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