About MACK
MACK painting in the window at the Artists' Gallery Art Walk in July 2015
MACK painting at SLAM - Summer 2011
MACKart tent at 34th Annual Celebration of Craftswomen in San Franciso, CA
MACK (Margaret Anne Campbell Kohler) grew up in Alaska on the family commercial fishing boat; fishing for crab, halibut and salmon. Very early in life she developed a great love for art and singing opera, so she pursued both.
MACK is a self taught artist whose work has been exhibited in Galleries and Art Shows in California, Montana, Colorado and Alaska. In 2012 she won “Best in Show” at the Sweet Pea Festival Art Show in Bozeman, MT with “Mighty Grandma” and was invited to participate in the 34th Annual Celebration of Craftswomen in San Francisco.
Artist Statement:
My art is always bright, whimsical and, hopefully, thought provoking. My characters are multi-ethnic and are loosely based on Yup'ic Eskimo masks from my childhood, as well as ethnic influences from around the world and the American West/Northwest. Most of my “characters” are women, because women are the first to be judged physically by others and themselves. MACK “characters” are to be viewed by their attributes alone. It is the best part of their spirit that adorns their clothing and crowns. My hope is that we will all become blind to our own prejudices and start seeing our sisters and brothers for the good that they offer this world. I call my dancing ladies series "American Women"....since I want to stress our vast melting pot in this country, and I dress them in cowboy boots to emphasize their "Americanness" in spite of their multi-ethnic/multi-cultural flair.
I paint in bright colors because, no matter the personality type, there is always hope for a brighter tomorrow. Besides life dancers, I LOVE to paint joyful cowboy boots, mountain vistas, fish, flowers and the earth. Each piece has a statement to make, usually trying to make the world a more accepting place, while celebrating the beauty of the human spirit and our magnificent planet! May we protect both with a vengeance!
I work primarily with acrylic paint on canvas and wood. I also love to create wooden dolls, wooden quilts, ornaments and jewelry.