Hoisington artist Mary “Monne’” Nicholson’s Easter-themed paintings are on display at the Great Bend Public Library. Nicholson said the works are from two exhibits, “The Passion of Christ” and “He is Risen.” The paintings will be up until April 17.
Nicholson started work on the paintings after seeing the 2004 film “The Passion of the Christ,”
directed by Mel Gibson. “I was so moved by it that in four months I painted 18 paintings on the Passion of Christ,” she said. The same year she did eight paintings for the “He is Risen” series. “It is my goal in life to paint the entire life of Christ.”
The art signs her paintings “Monne’” in honor of French impressionist painter Claude Monet, and because it sounds like “Monny,” which is what her children called her. “It’s a family thing,” she said.
She was Great Bend Public Library’s featured artist in September 2016, with the exhibit “911 Never Forget.”
She also won two “honorable mentions” in the amateur categories for oil and acrylic paintings at the Russell Original Art Review (ROAR) in October 2016.
Nicholson is a member of Artists At Large, which meets at the Great Bend Public Library, 1409 Williams St. The group can be found on Facebook @artistsatlargegbks.