About the Artist
Autobiography- Mimi Cernyar Fox
My life has been devoted to the visual arts. Trained in the traditional sense, I received my bachelor’s degree at Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland Oregon. While I was attending the art college, I would often sing at the Jazz Quarry with vocalist Neil Diamond and the Eddie Weed band. The music experience impacted me so that it continues to inspire my painting in the form of expressive movement. Teaching included Understanding art, Art History and studio courses for Pacific Northwest College of Art, and Eastern OR State University. I received a Masters of Fine Arts degree from Washington State University.
After I finished graduate school, I studied with the Benedictine priests of St. Benedict, Oregon where I was enrolled in studies of Philosophy and Theology. I also taught drawing and painting for the seminarians and the Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Angel OR.
Growing up on a farm had many responsibilities. We had animals to take care of, we rode horses, and I took care of my younger brothers and sisters while my father was at work. The experience left me with a deep respect for nature and a compassionate understanding of creation, this too inspires the art I make. I have experimented with a variety of traditional and non-traditional media to encompass formal means of physiological content, subject matter and excitement…
My experiences living and working with the land on our little farm and being part of a large family continues to supply me with inspiration.
Most recently have been exhibiting my work at Gallery 110, Seattle WA, Black-fish Gallery Portland OR. The 8th Annual Icon Show at Lynn Hanson Gallery and the annual Trinity show at Sparrow Gallery, Sacramento CA.I held installations of my paintings at Gallerie Étienne De Causans, Paris France 2007- 2009, and at Hatfield Marine Science Center and the Guinn Library, Newport OR where they have 7 paintings of mine in their collection. I am in many University collections and private collections across the USA. My paintings in support of marine life have continued to be popular with the Sea-Doc Society Deer IS. WA. and they are sometimes auctioned to support the marine science work that they do in the Salish Sea.
2024 I have an exhibition titled, Spiritual Painting of Faith and Hope. This will be a big exhibit of my work scheduled April 26th through June 30th.
I now reside near the sea with my husband in Raymond Washington where we have a tiny little farm. On the farm I work separate from the main house in my 1100 sq. foot studio built just to make art and on rare occasions share with baby chicks. It is my favorite place to be.