Meet the Artist ~ Bobbie Mayes

OOPS Artists' Jon and Bobbie Mayes painting at the Ocatgon House...


Bobbie Mayes ~ Artist

“We only go around once in this life and I want my audience to stop, take notice and think-not so much my thoughts, but what the painting inspires them to think or enjoy. Life is full of beauty despite all the “ugly” I choose to try to capture the beauty. I want my life’s walk to be in beauty and color.”

Primarily working in oils, Bobbie paints in southwestern and spiritual themes invoking thought, excitement and possibility.

Bobbie Mayes was born in Dearborn Michigan, the daughter of WWII Veterans. Mayes’ Father was a refugee from Poland. Her father later became a Psychiatrist. As a child, Bobbie loved to draw and her career as an artist began when she won first place for sculpture at a competition in Boyne Highlands Michigan, Bobbie graduated from Petoskey High School as a National Honor Society recipient. She was an exchange student to Montevideo Uruguay. As a military wife, Bobbie has traveled extensively. Having lived in Japan for three years, and three years in California’s Mojave Desert, where her love for the southwest began. In Taos, New Mexico she studied, painting and weaving, at the Taos Art institute under the instruction of the Navajo master artist Pearl Sunrise. Her husband’s military retirement currently provides Bobbie opportunities to embrace ocean scenes into her body of work.

Bobbie was educated at the following Universities: Saddleback College, College of the Desert, University of Maryland-graduating cum laude, and Golden Gate University -Graduate degree-M.S. Her pursuit of education lead to a varied work career as a: nurse, art teacher and mental health therapist. However, art has always called to her and she has answered the call. Primarily self taught, Bobbie received artistic training at the Interlochen Center of the Arts, in Michigan. Bobbie credits her artistic abilities to being born into a family of artists and musicians who valued the pursuit of the arts and encouraged her to paint. The highlight of Bobbie’s career was being invited, as a special guest and to display her work of Leon for the press opening of the show, at the North Carolina Museum of Arts (Raleigh) exhibition The Naked Soul, in May of 1993. Her great uncle, Leon Wyczolkowski, was one of the featured artists represented. Leon was a renowned impressionist in Poland who was a colleague of Claude Monet. As an emerging artist, Bobbie has been involved with local shows in Jacksonville, N.C. Her art can be found in private collections in Boston, New York, New Mexico, Korea, Florida, Chicago and California.

Despite the long road to recovery from a life threatening brain tumor, eight years ago, Bobbie has remained true to her art. Her bold use of vivid colors reflect the boldness she has experienced in her life.

You can contact Bobbie at southwestinspiration@yahoo.com