Sometimes the act of remembering a loss becomes a celebration of life.

“Connections and Directions,” which runs Friday through Aug. 20 at the Cottonwood Center for the Arts, pays tribute to artist Mary Ann Bransby, who founded the watercolor group the Chromatic Edge in 1984.

For many artists involved in the group, Bransby was not only a teacher, but a mentor. 

“On Aug. 11, one year will have passed since Mary Ann’s death,” says Jill Spear, current leader of Chromatic Edge. “This is an exhibition of remembrance for everyone involved in the exhibit.”

Spear was invited to join Chromatic Edge in 1996, and followed closely in Bransby’s footsteps.

“Before I even met Mary Ann, she changed my life through her paintings,” Spear says. “She inspired me to paint.”

The Gazette: Tell me how you met Bransby.

Jill Spear: I earned a BFA and had a background in design and watercolor. But somewhere along the line I lost interest in painting. Retiring from a design career 15 years ago, I moved west with the idea of trying studio art. One day while studying the figure … I stumbled into Mary Ann’s studio and into a magic moment. Since moving here I had seen exhibits of some powerful work. Now it was as if I had stumbled into the nest of the queen bee of the artistic activity I had been admiring. … I thought “I want to paint again.”

Gazette: How would you describe her influence on your work?

Spear: One of the most valuable things Mary Ann taught me was how to analyze my work as a whole body of work, to see where it was and to figure out where I wanted to go with it next. She gave us the tools to independently place our own goals and build our own road to artistic growth. Because of Mary Ann’s support, I learned to trust my own artistic voice. She wouldn’t teach you something until you were ready to learn it. She was eager to teach you to work in non-traditional ways with pours, mixed media and collage. She was a true mentor. 

Gazette: How did Bransby start Chromatic Edge?

Spear: In 1984, Mary Ann retired and returned to Colorado Springs. She continued to exhibit, teach and mentor. During the next ten years she organized two exhibiting and educational organizations in the Pikes Peak region, including Chromatic Edge. In this same time period Trish Shaheen, an artist with a background in metalwork and no experience in watercolor, befriended Mary Ann. (She) began studying with her, painting with her, taking field trips with her and, in Trish’s words, Mary Ann took Trish under her wing.

Lou Ann Sosalla and Kathryn Kelso became interested in Mary Ann’s mentorship. So there were three artists under Mary Ann’s wing. That number of artists in the group swelled and fluctuated over the years, usually settling somewhere around the number of 10 members at any given time. The members continue to learn, critique and exhibit together. Membership to Chromatic Edge is by invitation and review

Gazette: How will the show celebrate her life?

Spear:  Chromatic Edge members were instructed to choose paintings that illustrate both connections to Mary Ann’s work and the directions their individual work is developing. In other words, members were instructed to choose paintings of influence and growth. Each artist was asked to share written information about personal and/or creative connections to Mary Ann and information about how Mary Ann has shaped their direction of their work or influenced their artistic growth. The written information will be exhibited alongside a sample of each artist’s work in the exhibit.

Gazette: What type of work can visitors expect to see at the show?

Spear: This is a water-media exhibit. Water media is generally pigment on paper. Much of the work in the exhibit is watercolor on paper but examples of other forms of water media such as watercolor on yupo, watercolor crayon on paper and acrylic on paper are included.

“Floating Poppy” by Reveille Kennedy Photo by Courtesy of Cottonwood Center for the Arts

“Adrift” by Jill M. Spear Photo by Courtesy of Cottonwood Center for the Arts

“Edge of Winter” by Kathryn Kelso Photo by Courtesy of Cottonwood Center for the Arts