ARTIST OF MONTH — Mary “sis” Keenan of Weirton was named the Artist of the Month for the Steubenville Art Association. Some of her works shown can be viewed at the Center of Music and Art in Wintersville. -- Contributed

WEIRTON — The Steubenville Art Association’s featured Artist of the Month for November is Mary “Sis” Keenan of Weirton. She is a member of the SAA, a member of the Top of West Virginia Arts Council and belongs to the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society.

During her youth, Keenan studied under the late abstract artist Ned Wert and attended the Schneider School of Fine Art in Canada. She has several advanced degrees in nursing, including a masters in education leadership and adult and technical education. Her professional career entailed nursing home administration and regional management.

Keenan and her husband, Dale, moved to Weirton 22 years ago. She was sidelined by extensive back surgery in 2006, and therefore, returned to the world of creating art.

Her art has been displayed, as well as won awards throughout Ohio, West Virginia and in Western Pennsylvania. Her works have been shown in Wheeling at the Artworks and the Crosscurrents exhibitions.

Keenan showed in the Best of West Virginia at Tamarack, in the Allied Arts Council of West Virginia and at several Steubenville Art Association shows. She was featured in the first edition of the West Virginia State of the Arts magazine.

According to Judy Schmidt, president of the SAA, Keenan’s show is one which everyone must see. The detail-oriented artist is a perfectionist, as one will instantly notice when viewing her artwork, leaving one to wonder how anyone can possibly be that talented, Schmidt stated.

“These paintings are unbelievable,” Schmidt commented. “If you are looking to buy some wonderful original art, most of Sis Keenan’s art at the Center of Music and Art is for sale. What a wonderful Christmas surprise it would be for your loved ones.”

“Mary is a true professional, not only in her sterling presentation, but in her classic content,” stated Gerald Van Scyoc, a fellow SAA artist. “Her one-woman show, consisting mostly of acrylic and oil paintings, looks great on the wall, and her subjects — ranging from portraits to landscapes — are always clean, sharp and well-composed. I would recommend seeing this show to everyone, from seasoned artists looking for painting tips and tricks, to the laity in search of viewing a collection of well-executed, colorful and joy-filled works.”

“I work at the intersection of memory, fantasy and perception, exploring how the simple or mundane can be transformed into moments of transcendence,” Keenan said. “My art is a dialogue with light, color and form — each piece a meditative inquiry into the beauty and mystery that is found on the other side of struggle, or in the case of most portraiture, an effort to more fully understand my relationship with the subject.”

“Drawing on traditional and experimental techniques, I begin every work with careful observation, but then let textures, colors and energies of the natural world guide my effort, blending deliberate craftsmanship with spontaneous gestures,” Keenan continued. “This approach allows my pieces to evolve organically–from structured beginnings to compositions vibrant with unexpected nuance and emotional depth.”

Her work can be viewed in the recital hall of the CMA during regular business hours, ranging from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.