About Mary Jo
BIOGRAPHY
Mary Jo Tydlacka is a resident artist at the Howard County Center for the Arts. She was born and educated in the Chicago area and did her art studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, and at MICA. Collectors of her work include the Folger Shakespeare Library, Michael Kahn, founder of the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D. C., and Theresa Colvin, former Director of the Maryland State Arts Council. She participated in an 2 artist exchanges in Cergy-Pontoise… more
Performances
I enjoy the gathering of people for plays and performances. I like to witness it and record it. A librarian friend of mine called me an archivist. That's fine.
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Piano Recital
acrylic, 22"x30", 1995
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Macbeth
acrylic, 16"x12", 2023
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Pericles
acrylic, 18"x24", 2023, this play was performed during the pandemic
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West Lawn of the Capitol.jpgWest Lawn of the Capitol, acrylic, 36"x48", 2018,
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National Symphony Rehearsal.jpgNational Symphony Rehearsal, acrylic, 18"x24", 2018
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Columbia Lakefront.jpg, Wedding pictures, a scene from a play, picnics, and walking the dog are all happening at the lakefront.
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Midsummer at Evergreen Meadowacrylic, 24"x30", 2015 During this play two owls were hooting to each other in the woods so I put them in the play. A female Puck is to the far right and I have her looking over all my following projects. All this took place in the heart of Baltimore.
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Hans Zimmer Concert.jpgHans Zimmer Concert, watercolor, 9"x12",2017
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Uppity Blues Womenoil, 16"x20", 2000 Performance at the Columbia Festival of the Arts
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Trio at Evergreen Houseacrylic, 30"x24", 2016 The Glenmont Trio performed at Evergreen House a few years ago. I made a tiny sketch and finally made a painting of the group.
Ellicott City
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St. Pauls StepsSt. Paul's Steps, oil, 18"x24", 2010
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Ellicott City From Westchester AvenueEllicott City From Westchester Avenue, oil, 30"x36", 2012
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The Patapsco Female Institute RuinsThe Patapsco Female Institute Ruins, oil, 20"x20", 2003
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Ellicott City Train Station From AboveEllicott City Train Station From Above, oil, 40"x30", 2003
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Ellicott City Train StationEllicott City Train Station, acrylic, 18"x24", 2013
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Ellicott City From St. Paul'sEllicott City From St. Paul's, acrylic, 30"x30", 2001
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Ellicott CityEllicott City, acrylic, 30"x24", 2008
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The National Road, Ellicott CityThe National Road, Ellicott City, acrylic, 16"x20", 2012
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The Ruins In The MorningThe Ruins In The Morning, acrylic, 18"x24", 2013
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Spring In Ellicott CitySpring In Ellicott City, watercolor, 15"x20", 2004
France
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French Village.jpgFrench Village, watercolor, 12"x16", 2020
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French Home.jpgFrench Home, acrylic, 12"x16", 2020
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Monet's Garden.jpgacrylic, 24"x30", 2019
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Monet's Garden study.jpgMonet's Garden study, watercolor, 8"x10", 2019
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Water Garden at Giverny.jpgWater Garden At Giverny, acrylic, 18"x24", 2019
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Monet's WillowTree.JPGMonet's Willow Tree, acrylic, 12"x16", 2020
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View From The Japanese Bridge.jpgacrylic, 12"x16", 2019
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Bright Day At Monet's Garden.jpgBright Day At Monet's Garden, acrylic, 24"x30", 2019
Outdoor Shakespeare
The next few projects are one big project. In 2003 I attended Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's Romeo and Juliet at the Patapsco Female Institute Ruins in Ellicott City. I have been painting the plays performed there every summer since. I was already interested in the historic building, an 1830's girls' boarding school. The ruins are perched on a hill overlooking Ellicott City, the river and the railroad. I was an English teacher a few years and the rich subject matter is endless. There are trees, night skies, old stone walls, ruins, costumes, drama, picnics, families and Shakespeare's words.
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Midsummer Night's Dream in Ellicott City
acrylic, 18"x24", 2022
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Romeo and Juliet
acrylic, 22"x30", 2020
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The Tempest at the Patapsco Female Institute.jpgThe Tempest at the Patapsco Female Institute, acrylic, 12"x16", 2017
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We are such stuff as dreams are made on.jpgwatercolor, 16'X12", 2017
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Comedy Of Errors, The EndComedy Of Errors, The End, watercolor, 12"x16", 2016
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Comedy of Errors Exorcismwatercolor, 9"x12", 2015
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Antony And Cleopatraacrylic, 18"x24", 2014
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As You Like It Serenadewatercolor, 9"x12", 2014 Painted on site during the play with super moon above.
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The Three Musketeers.jpgThe Three Musketeers, watercolor, 12"x16", 2016
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Midsummer.jpgMidsummer, watercolor, 12"x16", 2018
Outdoor Shakespeare
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Comedy Of Errorsoil, 24"x30", 2010
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The Tempestwatercolor, 22"x30", 2009 The scene in the play was a tempest and a real storm came up.
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All Hail Macbethwatercolor, 16"x12", 2009 This was the first moveable Shakespeare where the audience followed the actors around the ruins. It was cold, dark and spooky in October. It felt as if we were following this menacing family around their house and witnessing their descent into tragedy.
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Witches In The Woodswatercolor, 16"x12", 2009 I pulled on all my previous paintings of trees to get this result.
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Lady Macbeth Goes Madwatercolor,16"X12", 2009 Lady Macbeth is in the basement of the chapel of the ruins.
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The Sword Fight In Macbethwatercolor, 12"X16", 2009 The back lawn of the ruins, high on a hill with a road below.
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The Serenade in Twelfth Nightwatercolor, 12"x16", 2011 I like the way the action was moved around on the grounds so the audience had to look backwards. Erin Blake, the art curator of the Folger, said that the audience was an important element in my paintings.
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Twelfth Nightwatercolor, 12"x16", 2011
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Cyrano De Bergerac12"x16"', 2010
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Cyrano, The Balcony Scenewatercolor, 16"x12", 2010
Outdoor Shakespeare
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The Folger's Much Ado About Nothingwatercolor and acrylic, 20"x24", 2005 This piece is in the permanent collection of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. and it was on exhibit there in the show Shakespeare in American Life. The show was part of a citywide Shakespeare Festival in 2007.
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Romeo And Julietwatercolor, 22"x30", 2004 This was the first play done at the ruins and it hooked me.
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King Learwatercolor, 22"x30", 2007
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The Taming Of The Shrewwatercolor, 22"x30", 2007
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As You Like ItAs You Like It, watercolor, 12"x16", 2014, A happy ending under the super moon.
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Macbeth's Witcheswatercolor, 11"x14", 2008 This was their first production of Macbeth. It was in a black box theater.
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Henry Vwatercolor, 22"x30", 2008 Amazing lighting casts Henry V as a looming giant at the battle of at Agincourt.
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Henry V The Night Before The Battlewatercolor, 12"x16", 2008, This production had to be moved under a tent because of weather. The actors were right in front of me.
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The Folger's Midsummer Night's Dreamwatercolor, 22"x30", 2006 This piece is in the permanent collection of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C.
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Pyramus And Thisbewatercolor, 18"x24", 2006
Italy
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Michelangelo's Campidogliowatercolor, 12"x16"
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Roman Forumwatercolor, 9"x12"
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Forum Of Augustuswatercolor, 16"x12"
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Dinner in Florencewatercolor, 12"X16"
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Rome from the Quirinale Hill Iwatercolor, 12"x9"
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Rome from the Quirinale Hill IIoil, 30"x24"
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Arch Leading to Forum of Augustuswatercolor, 16"x12"
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Orvieto Cathedralwatercolor, 24"x18"
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Orvieto Cathedral detailwatercolor, 24"x18"
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Constantine's Basilicawatercolor, 12"x16", 2010 Getting a history lesson on site.
The Eastern Shore
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Cape Mayacrylic, 22"x28", 2014
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Cape May Sunriseacrylic, 18"x24", Empty benches, a little snow on the beach.
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Lunch on the Eastern Shorewatercolor, 7"x10", 2015 A slower, nature-filled life.
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Beach House InteriorOil, 24"x36", 2010 A view of the ocean.
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Clouds at the Beachwatercolor, 9"x12", 2010 The richness of the colors in the weathered siding of the beach houses. Painted on site.
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Beach Houses First Yearwatercolor, 15"x20", 2006 Dune grasses are not so full.
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Moon Over Beach Houseswatercolor, 12"x16", 2010 Dune grasses are thicker this year.
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Bethany LightsBethany Lights, watercolor, 12"x16", 2010
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Historic Beach Housewatercolor, 11"x14", 2008
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Rock Hall, MarylandRock Hall, Maryland, watercolor, 12"x16", 2012
Ireland
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Kylemore Flowersacrylic, 11"x14", 2015
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Inisheer Islandacrylic, 6"x8", 2016 The smallest of the Aran Islands is crowned with a 14th Century castle ruins and walled plots. The large stones at the bottom are the remains of an Iron Age stone fort.
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Cliffs of Moherwatercolor, 9"x12', 2015
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Doolinacrylic, 12"x16", 2016
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Doolin, Bay and Inisheer Islandacrylic, 12'x16", 2015 Cool and overcast but beautiful.
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Inisheer, O'Brien's Castle.jpgInisheer, O'Brien's Castle, acrylic, 24"x30", 2016
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Inisheer And Inishmaan.jpgInisheer And Inishmaan, acrylic, 24"x30", 2016
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Carna Cemetery.jpgCarna Cemetery, acrylic, 12"x16", 2017 An active cemetery with a ruined church and more ruins in the distance.
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Carna Beach.jpgCarna Beach, watercolor, 9"x12", 2015 This was painted on site.
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Carna Ruins.jpgCarna Ruins, watercolor, 12"x16", 2015
Ink Drawings
On a very different note I made this series on Richard lll only as ink drawings, not colorful paintings, and I included text for the first time. Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's 2012 production was a Moveable Shakespeare performed at the Patapsco Female Institute Ruins. The actors moved around the setting and the audience followed. It was performed in the dark in October. Around the same time Richard lll's bones were excavated and identified in England. I have worked on this series since then.
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Midsummer With Owls At Evergreen HouseMidsummer With Owls At Evergreen House, ink on clayboard, 9"x12", 2015 I had to include my background image.
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Richard lll, The Winter Of Our DiscontentRichard lll, The Winter Of Our Discontent, ink, 8"x6", 2013
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Richard lll Courts Ann Over Ellicott CityRichard lll Courts Ann Over Ellicott City, ink, 6"x8", 2013
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Clarence In The TowerClarence In The Tower, ink, 6"x8", 2017
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You PeersYou Peers, ink, 6"x8", 2017
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Buckingham And RichardBuckingham And Richard, ink, 6"x8", 2017
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Richard III And Nephews In The TowerRichard lll And Nephews In The Tower, ink, 8"x6", 2015
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Richard And ElizabethRichard And Elizabeth, ink, 6"x8", 2017
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We Are Up In ArmsWe Are Up In Arms, ink, 6"x8", 2014
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My Kingdom For A HorseMy Kingdom For A Horse, ink, 6"x8", 2013