The boldly expressionistic and figurative multimedia
paintings of Mary Drylewicz represent not only her distinct
talent but also her fierce determination to push life’s
limitations. Although artistically inclined since childhood,
Mary’s talent as an artist did not fully emerge until a massive
stroke at the age of 44. Until then, she had enjoyed a very
successful corporate career in systems management and was very
physically active in her church and community. She worked with
autistic children and loved to ride motorcycles, climb
mountains, sing and play one of the six instruments she had
taught herself. The stroke brought all that to an abrupt halt,
leaving her in a coma and paralyzed on the right side of her
body, unable to speak, write or comprehend what others were
saying. After two silent years in a wheelchair and lengthy
therapy, she began walking with the aid of a leg brace and cane
and speaking with great difficulty. Severely depressed, she
began painting at the suggestion of her mother to counter her
depression. Right-handed before the stroke, Mary began painting
with her left had, persisting through many frustrating attempts
and ultimately enrolling in a local art class. There her innate
ability amazed
Johanna
Salomon, an award winning artist and art instructor at four
schools in Bergen County, who began mentoring the emerging
artist.
Mary
has since produced well over one hundred paintings, many of them
in vivid expressionist style that has been likened to the
fauvist method of painting. Mary’s paintings flow from a unique
process that, she says, became fluid and intense following the
stroke. She mediates regularly, often into a trance-like state,
and images or “visions” fill her mind. She draws these on paper
or canvas, sometimes doing additional research for realistic
details. Then she paints. Without understanding the process, she
says she knows when the final result is correct.
CLICK
HERE TO WATCH A NEWS SEGMENT ABOUT MARY ON NEWS 12 NEW JERSEY
CLICK
HERE TO WATCH A NEWS SEGMENT ABOUT MARY ON TIME WARNER'S CHANNEL 10 NEWS
