I received my formal art training at Hornsey College of Art, London, England from which I have a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Art Teachers Certificate. I have always loved painting, ever since childhood. I can remember splashing about with bright colours and a big brush in kindergarden. My second love is colour, and I'm instinctively drawn to bright and colourful subject matter. My colour palate changed radically when I began painting in Southern Californai, changing rapidly to more vibrant primary colours from the subtle tones I used in England. I was drawn instinctively to the Mexican painters Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo and Frida Kahlo, not only for their imagery but for their sensual love of colour and light, which, due to Mexico's close proximity, are very similar to Southern California. I chose to work in watercolour for it's spontinaety and immediacy, The medium allows me to work in light strokes for delicacy and luminescense, while at the same time allowing me to use the paint in a more dense saturated way. I use only the best materials; Winsor and Newton series 7 brushes; Winsor and Newton watercolour paints and Arches 140 or 300 pound paper. After many years use, I know how these materials react under a myriad of conditions. My work has been selected for more than 60 juried shows and I have received more than 14 awards of distinction. Selections of my work are usually on display at the Creative Art Center in my home town of Sierra Madre and periodically at various exhibitions and galleries. My original watercolors, giclee limited and open edition prints and greeting cards are displayed and available on my website at www.myraepsteinart.com.

My Artist Statement

I came to Los Angeles from London, England, and was immediately fascinated by the different quality of light; a peach glow that lit up the landscape and made ordinary objects seem more dramatic. I was also struck by the diversity of cultures that are integrated into the mainstream of Los Angeles life: Being an avid collector of objects d'art, this afforded me unlimited opportunities to paint diverse still lifes. I love painting still lifes because they allow me to put together objets d'art that I have picked up on my travels that especially appeal to me, and I can arrange them in any way I want to, thus creating the composition rather than just painting what's there. I'm fascinated by the way the Still Life genre draws upon social and cultural history. The artist assembles objects that either have symbolic meaning or have a particular relevance to the life and time in which he or she lives and works, allowing an illuminating insight into the social, cultural and historical setting.