Mara was born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1946 after her parents fled from the Communist invasion of their homeland of Latvia during World War II and sought refuge in war-torn Germany. They spent six years in Germany before finding sponsors in the USA and moved here in 1950. She and her husband, Tom, were married in 1969 and have two children and four beautiful grandchildren.

She spent most of her adult career in education, earning a Doctorate in Educational Administration and ending her career in elementary supervisor for the Jefferson County Board of Education. She retired in 2007 and began to paint in 2014.

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Mara’s Artist Statement: 

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Art is a beauty but it is also a communication. It’s sharing what you see or feel in a form that others can understand and appreciate. It’s sharing the colors the artist sees in the light communicating the shapes that emerge from the shadows. I don’t have a gift with words, so I as Edward Hopper says, “If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.” I use pallete knives or brushes to paint in oils and acrylics, at times using mixed media. I will simply say that I love color, light, and shadow. In my paintings, I strive to use free brush strokes or wield a palette knife to create an impression of something that moves me. I want my paintings to appeal not only to one’s eye, but also to ones heart. I hope that what I have painted communicates to you the beauty of our world.