This collection offers a sample of works by Mari Newman - an artist whose imagination and creativity combine to offer us works that are always delightful - while often containing some serious food for thought. A common thread that flows throughout Newman's art is her generosity - her determination to share her creations with others. If our country followed the Japanese model for recognizing artists with extraordinary creative gifts and their achievements while still living and working at their art - then I'm convinced that multi-media artist Mari Newman should be declared a National Living Treasure.

Many people in this area may not be aware of it - but they've seen one of her major works - everytime they've walked or driven along Penn Avenue South near 51st Street. Newman's crowning achievement was to take her house - located near that intersection - approach it as a blank canvas - and transform it into a glorious example of her artistic vision - an amazing work of art.

You couldn't help but notice Mari's house - it was an eye-popping, riotous, potpourri of colors, patterns, textures, with installations on the lawn that changed or were transformed from time to time. In the hands of a lesser artist - none of it would have worked. However - the painting, the detailing, the placement and arranging of the three-dimensional elements - all were executed with a masterful flourish of techniques.

I remember passing the house one day and discovering a conga-line of grocery carts - each one painted a different color than the others - making their way across the front lawn. Driving past the house another time - I discovered an arrangement of arbors along and over the sidewalk leading to the front door - gaily decked out in what looked like plastic or silk flowers.

There was always something happening with Mari's house - it was a work of art in progress - a celebration of the zest and energy of life itself. What Mari Newman accomplished with the transformation of her house - was to create a gift for her immediate community and anyone else who happened upon it.

Sadly - a few weeks ago, when I stopped by the house to photograph it, I discovered it was locked up tight. Some windows had been boarded over - and the mailbox was hanging loose and ready to fall off the front porch. There was nothing left on either the front or back lawns - no hint of what had once been a carnival of found objects. The garage was padlocked. Peeking in a window - there seemed to be no sign of anything left inside the house - nor of anyone living there. On the front door - I found a No Trespassing sign had been posted - sadly leading me to predict that it's now only a matter of time before one of Mari Newman's major works will cease to exist.

It's been noted in the media that some of Newman's neighbors were unhappy to be living near an "art house" - and wanted her to either repaint her house to adapt to the muted coloration of houses nearby - or leave the neighborhood entirely. Some of them took their complaints to various agencies concerned with housing codes, rules, and standards - and what followed was that the artist was ordered to make alterations on the structure or face penalties or (I'm told) condemnation.

During that period - there were incidents of Newman's house and garage being targeted by vandals - defacing them with threatening graffiti. One example was: "DIE BITCH!" spray-painted in large letters on the garage door - which I saw for myself while driving through the alley behind Newman's house. There were also reports that Newman had actually been physically assaulted while walking in the neighborhood - shoved and pushed off the sidewalks by unknown and unapprehended juveniles.

A neighbor of Newman's stopped to talk to me on that day while I was photographing Mari's house. She asked me how would I like to have to live on a block with "that monstrosity?" When I told her I would be delighted to - she muttered an obscenity and walked away.
I hope you will enjoy viewing Mari Newman's collected works - and will link to her online gallery here at mnartists.org to see more examples from her amazing body of work.

--James Michael Lawrence

Mari Newman on mnartists.org
Follow this link for more information about Mari Newman and to view other examples of her artworks.

Mixed Media