M’Liz Keefe
A painter’s life far from the madding crowd.
M’Liz Keefe pursues the time-honored tradition of land- and seascape painting on Fogo Island, a tiny fishing community off the coast of Labrador and Newfoundland. For most of her career—which she’s pursued in Hoboken, NJ, and Taos, NM, as well as on the Canadian coast—she has been drawn to vast empty landscapes that speak of the geological erosion of the earth’s surface through time. She works with oils, ashes from wood stoves, powdered pigments, wax and another materials, which are built up in a long process of application, leading to a thick and heavily textured surface.
In the last few years, following a residency on Fogo, Keefe has dedicated herself to painting the ocean in oil and wax. “I am now fascinated and absorbed by the ocean’s repetitive life,” she says, “its changes at once subtle and drastic, its loneliness and its own fecund nature with a life underneath the surface, remaining mostly hidden.” Keefe will tell us about life in this unusual community, her crowd-sourcing campaign to fund her time on the island, her early years in New York, and how her brother’s untimely death affected her art.
Music credit: “Odyssey” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/
Insightful and intimate. Just beautiful!
Congratulations to Ann and M’liz!
Thank you, Martin!
Have you “settled” in Fogo because there seems to be a community of “Keefs” ? r is it the vast grey, open expanse? or both? Kudos to you on the painting project and funding . . . that sounds quite enterprising ! Keep warm. xxxxxxxxx marcia oliver in Taos
Marcia! So good to hear from you…..It has been such a long time….Yes the Keefe’s landed on the island about 1750- I think their ghosts called me here….its gray and foggy- solid rock and winds with gusts that would knock your paint brushes outa your hands…..so good to hear from you! be well and next time I’m down in Taos we will have a visit…..xo m’liz
Great interview! Ann, it’s easy to think when one hears one that’s well done that it’s easy to do. It’s not!
M’Liz – your candor is refreshing in the world where too many of us worry about other people’s expectations. Besides that, it was great hearing your voice again. Love those Jersey origins.
Wonderful interview. The artist in her own words, voice and nuance.
Love this interview!
Love these podcasts hearing artists share their real lives and journey. Looking forward to the whole series!
A great interview hearing about an artist’s life and work….engaging and provocative! I look forward to more. Thank you Ann and M’Liz.
I loved this interview and I love your work.
Gorgeous, I’d love to see these paintings in person! Thanks for a great interview!
An inspiring interview.
I loved everything about this interview! Thank you to Ann and M’Liz!
Great way to start my day…thanks!!