“No artist worked more rapidly than she did, and her pictures had such merit that they sold for higher prices than those of [other] well-known contemporary painters, whose works fill our galleries.” - Pliny the Elder (c. 77 A.D.)¹

1. Although Pliny the Elder is not regarded as a specialist in art criticism (and possibly faulted for placing speed of execution in such high regard), it seems there can be no controversy about the factual basis of this quote.

That is to say there was at least one woman who was working during the 1st century (either BCE or CE) whose work exhibited such skill that it demanded a higher price than work given greater esteem in the established art venues of Pliny's time.

The quote above so perfectly sums up the situation regarding Endico haute conduite watercolors that the laws of logic are set in a death match against irony—and nearly 2000 years later at that.

Despite over 15,000 original watercolors sold worldwide while receiving numerous awards for her work during the last quarter century, one still must travel to the artist's studio (or contact her through this web site) in order to purchase the work.

Also the number of so called "museums" and "galleries" that claim to be archival institutions representing works of 20^th & 21^st century artists, but which fail to house even a single Endico in their permanent collections, is a marvel and a mystery.

Maybe not so mysterious if you remember to take the terms 'museum' and 'gallery' with the appropriate grains of salt.

The quote above comes from Book 35 of Pliny the Elder's Natural History (on Roman Painting) and was taken from the secondary source:

Janson, H. W., and Anthony F. Janson. History of Art. 1913. 6 ed. Wilmington, NC: Prentice Hall, Inc., 2001. 195.

Of course the Ashville Museum and the Kentucky Museum (Western Kentucky University) are exceptions to the rule stated by Pliny above while 2000 years later his statement still speaks perfectly to the irony of circumstance surrounding Mary's work.

Endico collectors often extend the irony thus:
 

E-MAIL RECEIVED

 

 

Dear Mary,

On behalf of the Watercolor Class and The Warwick Center, I would like to thank you for taking your time last week to share your beautiful paintings and your story with the group.

Everyone enjoyed their visit thoroughly and came back with new inspiration and motivation for their own painting.

You are a hidden treasure in our area. I had no idea of the extent and influence of your work.

Thank you again for sharing your time and talents.

AT
Exploritas Program Coordinator
Warwick, NY

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Yea! It's here, it's fine, and it's gorgeous!!

Thank you so much. I think that I like the Plexiglas—they can be so heavy with the glass.

CG
Arlington, TN

 

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Sweet Mary,

Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you....

Her birch tree that she keeps talking about will make it in time for Easter.

I know this will brighten my Aunt Pat's day.

Words cannot express my gratitude for your patience when I changed my mind... and your dedication to get the painting to her.

You are an angel!

With much appreciation,
JM
Florida

Follow up:

Mary,

Thank you so much.

Aunt Pat received her Birch tree painting on Friday.

When her daughter Lynn showed it to her, she "...had a smile, beaming from ear to ear," and she kept saying over and over again, " My birch tree, my birch tree, it's such a beautiful birch tree, look at the colors... so beautiful."

She wanted Lynn to hang the painting where she could see it, however, her hospital bed is in the living room facing the kitchen—with no wall space available.

To solve this Lynn propped the painting on the kitchen counter, so Aunt Pat had a birds eye view of her painting.

What joy your painting brings her!

Mary, thank you so much for making this all possible.

JM
Florida

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Hi,

I grew up with one of your drawings on the wall of my bedroom, and I am now at the point of getting it reframed for the room of our future child. It is an elephant drawing that most closely resembles #2202 on your website...the colors of the flowers are a little different, and there isn't the red on the elephant's ears.

I just wanted to let you know that your artwork is probably the reason the African elephant is my favorite animal, and I am so excited to have found your website!

I have a friend who owns an art gallery /framing studio in DC, and I will be getting their advice on getting a new frame and new glass. Is there anything I should be doing to ensure that it stays beautiful as long as possible?

Also, I saw that the animal pictures are not being produced. If you ever decide to produce them again, please let me know!

Thank you so much!

JB
DC
 

Thank you for the kind words, JB.

Any reputable framer will be able to suggest the best materials for preserving the animal prints, so your friend will surely give you good advice.

A note about the problems your framer will face and why the prints were discontinued is included with the exception to animal prints at:

Free Matboard Upgrade

The studio is currently looking into new printing technologies to make these prints available once again.

 

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Hi Mary,

We visited (Fantasy Factory?) & purchased from you years ago as pretty ordinary folks—not collectors.

Two marsh scenes with a complementary sky & birds scene as a set; a weathered barn & silo with a storm brewing in the background & later a cabin that fit that theme.

All travelled with us through three tours in New York & a couple of years in Korea before retirement in '92.

Now, living in Colorado, we continue to display our prized art from you.

My sister-in-law, still living/working in Germany, has several more of your pieces.

I was just staring at the barn, hanging on the dining room wall —"smelling" the aromas, "feeling" the storm's approach (or departure?) & thought that, after about 30 years, I should look you up & give you a one-phrase endorsement:

Enduring; timeless

BS
Colorado
 

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Hi Mary,

I can't thank you enough. I love your art work, and I will be online again real soon purchasing more.

Hope you have a great New Year and keep on painting!

With much appreciation.
DV
Hemet, CA

 

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- Christmas Card -

Mary,

It was so good to see you this year—I get so much from your paintings.

My two new ones are at home on our wall.

Thanks again for my pumpkin, I love it!

Enjoy your break in Florida.

JK
Fort Myers, Florida

 

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Hi Mary,

Jean left a message for you to say that you were right about the picture I purchased (it was the one she wanted for Christmas), and it looks great now that it's up.

I was looking over our collection and found #1945, but there were 3 that we don't have:
#2529, #1989, #2527.

We must have purchased them as gifts, but at this time can't remember.

The pic I have sent was not on the list, nor does it have a number.

If you can identify it, could I get a number and be added to list?

Thanks, and Happy New Year.
P&J
Fort Myers, FL
 

Thank you for the image.  It's new number is: 4562, which you can pencil onto the mat board backing.

Click on the image to see how it fits into your collection.

We have also made a new page to browse sold paintings the same way people browse available paintings.

You are correct about the other numbers. I looked them up on my local database and they are marked as purchased for gifts.

Who knows, maybe the people whom you gave the paintings to will come across my website and send me photos of the paintings in their new homes.

Extra thanks to you for providing an image to help complete the online database.

-Mary

 

 

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Hi Mary,

I just wanted to drop you a note and let you know that I received the lighthouse painting, and it is FABULOUS!!!! 

It is even better than I had hoped for.

I'll be bringing it down to my gramma's next weekend for her 95th birthday, and I know she will love it. 

Thanks so much for the fantastic shipping.

The painting arrived safe and sound, and I am so excited to give it to my gramma.

I'll be sure to keep your brochures and pass your name around.....thanks again!!!!

BA
Newton, NJ

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Hello Mary,

My painting came today. It is PERFECT!!!!

Thank you very much.

GA
Myrtle Beach, SC

 

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Hi Mary,

I purchased #4147 (large floral) last Saturday as an anniversary present (my husband was with me).

I know you prefer brief queries - so I'll try - but I'm sure I'll fail miserably, since I don't have the right vocabulary to discuss art.

In any case, I have 3 rather ingenuous questions for you - and remember - I freely admit to having no knowledge of art! I will also admit that I have no decorating sense.

1. Is there a "best" way to collect art?

I see a couple of possibilities:

a). work room by room - begin with my bedroom and newly purchased painting (#4147) and look for complementary pieces.

b). merely buy what I like - though I'm not sure how to blend with what I already have in my living room which is my own b & w landscape & portrait photography. Example: I really liked the "tree" painting we discussed, possibly for my living room - to hang over the mantle - would it work with the b&w's?

2. For either option - do I build upon color, style, subject?

For example: #4147 is a floral. I have 2 other bare bedroom walls. I like the colors in the floral, and I like your landscapes and haute conduite, but I have virtually paralyzed myself (I believe "analysis paralysis" was coined with me in mind) as I have been thinking about how to proceed from here. I feel that displaying only florals would be boring! I think I would want something from the haute visée collections choosing the same colors as the floral - BUT - perhaps emphasizing colors/shades that were used minimally in the floral. Does this sound nuts???

3. Final question.

I have a modest budget, so $6-750 per wall is my limit. I'm going to assume that anything I saw in your gallery (like the tree!) won't be around 3 months from now when I can make my next purchase. While I understand works are non-duplicatable - would it possible to order something similar? I think by "similar" I mean in the ballpark - colors, light, essence - NOT number of branches, leaves, etc. Does that make sense?

Sorry for the ramble. I prefer a succinct writing style, but I suppose that only works best when one is less overwhelmed!

Many thanks for the beauty you've brought to my small world.

Lydia
Princeton NJ

Obviously Lydia is being modest with regard to her knowledge of art and design aesthetic. She mentions other art work (photography) in her home is her own. Plus when she was in the Endico studio all of her choices were very astute. She also mentioned her strong background in music and that she currently teaches at Rutgers University in the area of Human and Community Development. She is doing very important work.

Modesty regarding artistic understanding is not uncommon, so here is a quick starter course from Mary about designing and developing your own art collection space.

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Hi,

Thank you so much for the postcard we received from your studio. We have the lovely painting that we bought from you in the hall in our home, and lots of our visitors remark on it. We delight in telling them where and when we bought it.

Your postcard has reminded us of a lovely holiday.

Thanks Again,

D&D B
Prosperous, Co. Kildare, Ireland
 

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Hi Mary,

I wake up each morning to two Endico's in my bedroom. I have two in my hallway in the front of the house and another in another bedroom. I wouldn't part with them no matter how much they were worth. We purchased the first one back in the early 80's because we fell in love with it and just kept coming back for more. You re-matted our first one right before we moved to Florida back in 2000. I'm glad we received your latest postcard so we could visit your nice website.

Regards,
Carolyn
Kissimmee, FL

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Mary,

The painting arrived and is more beautiful than I remembered. Thank you.

Stacy Green
Wesley Chapel, FL

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Hi Mary,

Sorry for the lag, the painting got here last Tuesday. There isn't a compression technology in the world that will ever come close to this painting up close and real. Now I really will have to visit the Louvre someday. I had almost tricked myself into thinking the Internet made all men equal.

John Mitchell
Hilliard, OH

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Dear Mary,

Everything looks terrific! You truly are blessed w/ a talent. Thank you so much. We decided we are going to save this summer and get a big one for the bedroom. So you will see us soon!

Rob & Debbie
New Windsor, NY

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Dear Mary,

I have 4 of your watercolors which I bought in Sugar Loaf in the early 80's when we lived in Middletown, NY. Two are water scenes with wheeling gulls. They hang in my bedroom and living room respectively. I love them and the feelings they still evoke. The other 2 I bought for my then 7 year old daughter who fell in love with them...a seated zebra and a standing unicorn. Those have been re-matted, and they now hang in my granddaughter's room. I've since retired to Memphis, and I would like to know if there is a catalog of available Endico watercolors as I'd like to purchase another painting. I looked at the 17 shown on Mary's website but would like to know if there is a catalog with more choices. Mary's pictures have given me great joy over the years as I knew they would when I first saw them. I am glad to see you are still painting.

Nadine
Memphis, TN

Nadine's request prompted the addition of a MORE link leading to an expanded viewing of all paintings currently in inventory for each specific style. You can see how this works by clicking on any of the images in the VISUAL DIRECTORY then scrolling down to the bottom of the page returned in order to click on the MORE link at the bottom.

Thanks for the prompting, Nadine.

 

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Dear Mary,

Thank you so much for my beautiful pumpkin. It makes me happy every day to see my pumpkin hanging there. Thank you and have a great holiday.

Nancy
Wayne, NJ
 

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Hey Mary :-)

I keep your Curators Guide for Endico watercolors, that you and Bob gave me, by my desk, and I opened it up and looked at the beautiful artwork you do, and the incredible colors, and it immediately made me feel better. I know this sounds weird, and I wouldn't normally tell someone this, but since you are the artist, you should know that your artwork creates such an emotion in me that it almost moves me to tears from the beauty. I am sure it does the same for thousands of other people when they see such a creation.

Your work has a life of its own, and words can't really do justice to the emotions elicited by diving into each individual piece.

Lauren
Kingston, NY

 

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Mary,

I just love the painting, and I thought maybe you would like to see how we had it framed. It's the perfect addition to the wall over our fireplace.

Thank you so much.

Zoe
Willmington, NC
 

Thank you Zoe.

I am always glad to see one of my paintings has found a good home.

-Mary

 

 

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Mary,

The picture is beautiful. Very, very nice!! Good job.

MG
Maywood, NJ

 

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Mary,

Got it on Friday, which was great cause it was my birthday. It came out just beautiful, looks great in the bathroom. Thank you very much for all your help with picking out the mats. They matched perfectly. You do beautiful work.

WB and RB
Marlton, NJ

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Hi Mary,

You have a great site here with plenty of information, and some really beautiful paintings. I purchased some paintings in the middle 1980's.

One of the paintings is a barn, with a horse in the half open door to the left and a horse in the stall in the open middle door. That painting has brought me much comfort through the years as it reminds me much of my childhood.

I also purchased a group of horse and donkey animal prints. I have received many, many positive comments about your paintings.

I just wanted to thank you for providing me with many years of enjoyment... and hopefully for many years to come.

Maybe soon I will be able to purchase another painting... or two. I am in the process of redoing a couple of rooms in my home and will be looking for additions to my small, but very much loved collection.

Thank-you, Mary... Thank-you very much!

Beth-Ellan, Roanoke Rapids, NC
 

Thank you Beth-Ellan,

If you have some photos of the paintings (they predate our imaging system), I would love to include them on the website database.

You can e-mail digital photos, or send standard photos via US mail, and I will scan them for you. Even a quick Polaroid snapshot would be perfect.

-Mary

 

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Endico Watercolor Originals, P.O. Box 31, 1386 Kings Highway, Sugar Loaf, NY 10981-0031
845-469-9272

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