Mountlake Terrace LIBRARY Maren Oates

The Mountlake Terrace Arts Advisory Commission presents the Maren Oates Exhibit at the Mountlake Terrace Library, 23300 58th Avenue W.

Artist Statement:
Maren Oates is a self-taught, mixed media artist whose work combines printmaking, stitching, and collage. Her work starts by applying acrylic paint to a gel printing plate. To create texture she presses found objects, usually from the recycle bin, into the paint before pulling a print on paper. She repeats this process to build several unique printed layers, often masking certain areas of the paper using hand cut stencils or leaves from the garden. Some of these monotypes are turned into collage papers, while others are finished with machine or hand stitched details.

Though she mainly sews on paper, Maren’s work is greatly influenced by the bold patterns and colorful combinations found in modern quilting. She also finds great inspiration, and interesting texture ideas, from the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Maren’s artwork has been exhibited regionally at the Schack Art Center, Parklane Gallery, Jansen Art Center, Edmonds Crow and Columbia City Gallery. In 2022, her work received an honorable mention in the Print category in the Juried Gallery of the Edmonds Arts Festival and 3 rd place in the Paintings, Prints, and Drawings category, during The Arts of the Terrace exhibit. She also teaches workshops on gel printing through the Schack Art Center in Everett, WA. Maren lives in Mukilteo with her husband Jeff, and children Henry and Ingrid.

Marenoates.com