“I am a big fan of Mara’s painting. It has been a joy to watch her work develop, reflecting a remarkable talent, with a wide range of expression that belies the relatively short time she has painted. Her portraits are especially good. The freedom and freshness of her brush strokes and color yield amazing resemblances of her subjects. Her portraits of children are stunning. Her work is very reasonably priced now, but with the skill she has, her reputation and pricing will surely grow!”
“Mara is a very accomplished painter who is constantly working to hone her skills. The success of her efforts can be seen in the excellence of her art.”
My Story
I was born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1946 after my parents fled from the Communist invasion of their homeland of Latvia during World War II and sought refuge in war-torn Germany. We spent six years in Germany before we found sponsors in the USA and moved here in 1950.
My husband, Tom Jambor, and I were married in 1969. We have two children and four beautiful grandchildren.
I spent most of my adult career in education, earning a Doctorate in Educational Administration and ending my career as an elementary supervisor for the Jefferson County Board of Education. I retired in 2007 and began to paint in 2014.
Style & Quality
Art is beauty but it is also 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 shadows and communicating the shapes that emerge from the light. The cave men in France and the rock artists in Norway drew to leave a record of what existed in their world. It’s in human nature to be social and to share with those around you; and it’s also important to leave some evidence of your existence - to communicate to those who come after you that you walked this earth and that you found beauty! We all have an urge to create something - whether its painting a work of art, cooking a meal, building something with our hands, or composing a song - it’s in our nature to create.
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 palette knives or brushes to paint in oils and acrylics, at times using mixed media. I will say simply 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 one’s heart. I hope that what I have painted communicates to you - speaks to you and perhaps touches your soul.
Awards
2016, Annual Shelby County Juried Show, Honorable Mention in Acrylic
2016, Mountain Brook Art Association Spring Show, Winner of Norton Floral Competition
2017, Gadsden Museum of Art 59th Annual Juried Show, Honorable Mention in Oil
2017, Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial’s “Originally From Alabama” Juried Show Honorable Mention in Oil
2018, Gadsden Museum of Art 60th Annual Juried Show, Third Place in Acrylic
2018, Trim Tab Anti-Suicide Art Show, Winner of Audience Choice for Best Use of Color
2019, Johnson Center for the Arts “Challenge 14, Troy, Alabama,” Best of Show