The birds sing
The wind blows
The sun rises
And I paint
With an open and grateful heart

Marilyn Batcheller was born August 31, 1943 in Kansas City Missouri. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Kansas City Art Institute in 1966. She created many noteworthy paintings in her studio in San Francisco from 1966-1971, and has continued to produce beautiful work from her studio in Sonoma County since 1971.

All living beings like to visit the quiet moments of their lives often and are refreshed by doing so. I have always felt the inspirations for my paintings come from these moments of silence and serenity.

Even as a child I loved to spend time alone in the woods and fields around my home, just being quiet and observing the amazing gifts of nature. Especially finding very small precious flowers and plants that I was sure no one ever took the time to notice.

As I began to draw and paint, those often missed plants and creatures became my main interest and inspiration. I like taking something very small by nature and blowing it up for a closely defined look and sense of honor.

I have also been inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of discovering a state of grace in the mundane. Therefore I have spent many hours looking closely at and enjoying the ancient paintings of Japan and China. I think it would be natural for these influences to show up in my work, which of course they have.

I also love color and feel color is one of the great expressions of joy and passion for life. All the efforts of my work are to bring this sense of simplicity and serenity to myself and to anyone who sees my work. Also I like to always remind and be reminded of my “beginners mind”, the curiosity, the wonderment of never allowing oneself to be SURE. And to always hold and question the deeper meanings of observation and beauty.