About the Artist

Marie E. Pierce-Ruhland Koehlinger was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, except for 2½ years spent in Europe as a child. She is from an artistic family. Her great-grand-uncle was Orlando Rouland, who studied art in Germany and Paris and was known in the early 1900’s for his commissioned portraits of Thomas Edison and President Theodore Roosevelt, among other prominent people. Some of his works are in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D. C. Marie’s great-grandfather (Orlando’s brother), grandmother, and both parents were/are also artistic, although none were professional artists.

Marie received her formal education at Penn State University where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Her focus there was on realism, and her primary medium was oil. She also attended San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas, and received her certification in Interior Design.  This education and her experience as a professional interior designer has helped her select matting and framing to enhance the appreciation of her artwork for her patrons.

The Artist’s Personal Reflections:

My love of art began at a young age, sitting across the kitchen table from my dad who taught me to notice details and appreciate the world around me, much like his grandfather had done for him. During my time in Europe, even though I was quite young, I began to have a deep appreciation for the history of the Old Masters and their magnificent works.

No one taught me more than my father about art techniques. In the 70’s college professors were encouraging me to “loosen up, to throw paint, and roll in it!”  But I concentrated on improving my abilities to paint realistically, using details, light, and composition to achieve my goals.

My interest in and love for pencil art began when I completed my first professional house portrait at the age of ten. Until recently, most of my work was for family and friends and consisted of buildings and/or people. In 2006 I completed a rendering of my son’s dog “Danny.” That face serves as my logo and launched my professional career in pet portraits.

Although I have done a commissioned oil painting and a fabric mosaic as recently as 2005, my emphases in art now are pencil and photography. In pencil I specialize in details, poses, and composition that accentuate the personality and individuality of the subjects, whether they are people, pets, or places.  I like to tell stories at different levels and to create a moment in time or a memory that will engage the viewers, whether or not they are familiar with the subject.  In photography my true joy is capturing the beauty of God's creative hand in our natural world that otherwise would be overlooked. My favorite works involve the various stages of the metamorphosis of the butterfly and the subtle changes in color of the flowers of a rose bush in my garden.

 

 

Thank you for visiting my virtual studio! Please contact me with any questions or inquiries that you may have.

The New York Times, February 10, 1907

Fall 2008

My Parents, Richard & Harriet Pierce-Ruhland