Mary-Ellen Fanning, extraordinaire.
Mary Ellen was born in Albany, NY. On February 5th, 1926 but grew up in the small town of Sharon Springs, NY. She met her husband, David Fanning just as she was starting college and they were soon married. After birthing three children, she went back to school to get her Master's degree at the University of Rochester. Once her kids were old enough to be alone at the house, she became a school teacher for 2nd and 3rd graders and continued teaching for 17 years.
According to her daughter, Carol Fanning, she was always artistic. When she retired, she started experimenting with acrylics and watercolors. She joined clubs around her community in Fearrington, North Carolina and became a proficient artist, selling her works around the state.
Mary Ellen stopped painting for many years after her husband became ill. She packed up her art supplies and put them away while tending to David Fanning. After some convincing, Mary Ellen and David Fanning agreed to move to Colorado to be closer to their children and grandchildren, and so the family could help with medical emergencies.
Now, Mary Ellen has been able to practice her artistic talents in the comfort of their assisted living residence, in Parker, Colo. She has retired the paint brush and found her calling- tissue paper. She now crafts canvases only from tissue paper. The way she creates her pieces makes them look hand painted from far away, and the collage can only be recognized close-up.
Mary Ellen is inspired by many great artists including Henri Matisse. She loves his quote about the process of cutting designs as "drawing with scissors" and spoke of "cutting directly into color."
She inspires her daughter, Carol, and granddaughter, Kelly Burnett, to explore every corner of our artistic abilities.
According to her daughter, Carol Fanning, she was always artistic. When she retired, she started experimenting with acrylics and watercolors. She joined clubs around her community in Fearrington, North Carolina and became a proficient artist, selling her works around the state.
Mary Ellen stopped painting for many years after her husband became ill. She packed up her art supplies and put them away while tending to David Fanning. After some convincing, Mary Ellen and David Fanning agreed to move to Colorado to be closer to their children and grandchildren, and so the family could help with medical emergencies.
Now, Mary Ellen has been able to practice her artistic talents in the comfort of their assisted living residence, in Parker, Colo. She has retired the paint brush and found her calling- tissue paper. She now crafts canvases only from tissue paper. The way she creates her pieces makes them look hand painted from far away, and the collage can only be recognized close-up.
Mary Ellen is inspired by many great artists including Henri Matisse. She loves his quote about the process of cutting designs as "drawing with scissors" and spoke of "cutting directly into color."
She inspires her daughter, Carol, and granddaughter, Kelly Burnett, to explore every corner of our artistic abilities.