Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Wentzel.
Hi Mary, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I began my life in Pennsylvania. My mother was an artist who graduated from art school in Philadelphia. My father worked a job in a factory. As mismatched as they were, they did their best to provide a good life for my sister and me. My mother was born with a severe hearing impairment. Although hearing aids were available, my mother never had them until she married. My mother had many struggles. The hearing impairment my mother was born with was an incurable disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa. The Usher’s syndrome component of the disease was early deafness. The main disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa, gradually began taking the vision from my mother, who was, at the time, an accomplished painter and sculptor. Depression lingered over my mother her entire life. It was present in the paintings and sculptures she created as a younger person and continued as she lost more of her vision.
All my childhood, I was surrounded by art. Exciting and thought-provoking creations were everywhere. Art always told amazing stories. My father, who loved classical music, acquired a cathedral pipe organ he rebuilt in our garage. I had a unique childhood.
I left home as a teenager, having not yet graduated from high school. My parents were struggling, and I felt it would be better for everyone if I left home. I commuted to my high school to finish up the school year and graduate. I received a music scholarship to a local community college. I enrolled in college and worked in the graphic arts department at the school. I went on to receive my BA degree from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. I was able to put myself through school by waitressing, drawing architectural renderings, designing logos, and the occasional children’s book illustration. I didn’t let any art opportunities pass me by without trying. If I needed dental work or a medical visit, I would offer to draw the home or a family portrait for the Doc instead of payment. It worked about 50% of the time. I felt lucky that I could paint and draw. It was a confidence that I had that I could count on.
I moved to Florida in 1992. Here I worked as a waitress to make ends meet. I still needed to find the rich arts and culture the area offered. I decided to go back to school for education. At UCF, I met a professor that would introduce me to my future career as a museum curator. I emersed myself in the museum world. I loved being surrounded by fabulous objects and learning their stories. I had a son, and I was proud to share the museum world with him as he grew up. I loved my job, and I felt appreciated at work but my life at home was spiraling out of control. I was a victim of domestic violence. I needed to resign my position at the museum.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are always obstacles and challenges in most people’s lives. I have discovered that sometimes the most difficult challenges provide the most growth to an individual. The biggest obstacles somehow can give you the strength to jump higher. The most difficult time in my life was when my son was taken from me by his father. We were traveling as a family to Pennsylvania. The yelling and pushing started, and this time it felt different. I tried to take my son to my sister’s house for the night, but his father wouldn’t let me. The next day they both were gone. His father had taken our son, leaving me behind. A few days later, I was back in Florida and began the process of finding my son. A little over a month later, I was told that my son and his father had been picked up in Colorado. The next day I flew to Denver to get my son. There was a divorce, custody hearings, evaluations, court hearings, and more evaluations. All thru this challenging time, I began to create again. When my son and I got back into a house, I painted the walls red and mustard yellow. I surrounded us with beautiful colors. We adopted a ferret and a canary. I got thru those tough times by creating things and creating a space for us to heal.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am primarily an illustrator. I use watercolor and ink to tell stories. After a long career in the field of museum education, I am now a full-time artist. I am very proud of a recent book I wrote and illustrated, titled “Crazy’s A to Z for Kids” The illustrations feature various animals from A to Z in human environments, wishing they were in their natural habitats. I have won many awards for my paintings throughout Florida. This gives me an incredible feeling of accomplishment. I am illustrating a series of environmental books for a Merritt Island author. The first book, Sammy and Scarlett’s Mangrove Adventure, by Robert Andrew Provan, is available on Amazon. I am now learning the art of lapidary and silversmithing. I enjoy working with rocks as well as metal.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I have since remarried a wonderful man. We met at our divorce lawyer’s birthday party. We were married on April Fool’s Day. The first lesson is always to remember your sense of humor. The second lesson learned is that we all have the power to improve our lives. It is in us all. The third lesson is to keep moving forward, even if you can’t get off the sofa on some days. Keep moving forward. A good cure for sadness is to surround yourself with color.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.worldofwentzel.com
Image Credits
Image 1: Father Chicken Heaven, Image 2: Bromeliads and Orchids, Image 3: Piano, Image 4: Phantom Vision, Image 5: Frog Spring, Image 6: A Walk in the Park, Image 7: Mountain Memory, Image 8: Crazy’s A to Z for Kids Cover
