Working Artist

"Do work that you love and success will follow" is a mantra by which Marian Gault appears to live. 

After growing up in the Idaho mountains, where she developed a love of wildlife and landscapes, Marian achieved success as a junior high school teacher, international folk dancer, choreographer and artist. For many years, she worked at all four careers.

As a child, she had excellent drawing abilities and loved to make detail-filled pen-and-ink drawings. As an adult, she was also drawn to watercolor painting and calligraphy, frequently taking classes with renowned artists to perfect her skills. She eventually became so good that she taught similar classes. 

Marian is now 91 years old and still produces commissioned calligraphy work in addition to her stunning watercolor paintings of flowers, birds, animals and scenes from trips to countries such as France. 

With Ned Gault, her dancing partner and husband of 49 years, she also still teaches the international folk dances they performed around the world with dancing groups they led. Marian and Ned, who will soon be 80, met in 1958 in a popular folk dance class his parents taught. She says they work as a team in whatever they do. 

"I don't have any secrets," Marian says when asked how she finds her energy. "I think it's about being involved, active, interested in learning and willing to work hard. Dancing has definitely contributed, with the experiences we had when we were performing and the people we met. There's nothing better than dance for exercise." 

She says she doesn't like to paint in a plein aire setting due to wind and the always-changing light. Ned, a retired chemistry teacher and an accomplished photographer, takes photos for her paintings around their Monte Sereno area and during trips they take. She usually combines the elements of several photos into one painting. 

Most of Marian's paintings are done in watercolor. She first creates a very detailed sketch in pencil and later applies layers of color until she is satisfied with the results. 

Recently, Marian began experimenting with the colored-pencil medium. The eye-catching "Three Owls," included as one of this article's photos, is an example. The version shown is a composite Ned made in Photoshop from three colored-pencil owl paintings Marian created.

Marian also excelled at handwriting as a child and began taking calligraphy classes many years ago. 

"Calligraphy is the art of beautiful writing," Marian says. "I've been teaching it for about 30 years, and it's been a large part of my art career." 

Her paintings sometimes include calligraphy, and she also creates commissioned calligraphy work. 

"There was one not long ago where a lady brought in two bibles—the oldest was 150 years old—and they were going to be rebound," Ned says. "They wanted to have the family births, marriages and deaths written in the bible." 

However, the existing paper began to crumble when it was handled too much, so Ned reproduced the look of the paper in Photoshop, including the aged burnt-looking edges. Marian used his resulting prints and created the new "old" family records by using an old-fashioned style of calligraphy. The pages will be bound into the repaired bibles. 

Last month, Marian and Ned went to Phoenix where she taught a class at the International Association of Master Penmen, Engrossers, and Teachers of Handwriting (IAMPETH) convention. She also took a class and learned more about flourishing techniques, a type of calligraphy with curls and curves. 

"There's so much to learn—techniques, styles, uses," Marian says. "It never stops." 

Marian's "Song of the Wren" and "Music of Nature" works are part of the "Music and the Sounds of Nature" calligraphy exhibit at Filoli through Sept. 11. She will attend the artist reception there on Saturday, Aug. 13. 

Beginning in September, Marian will give calligraphy classes atand at the Sunnyvale Community Center. Ned will give a 14-week Photoshop class at Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation. And Marian and Ned will give international folk dancing lessons at Santa Clara Adult Education. 

Visit Marian Gault's Web site at http://www.flyingquill.com/ . 

About this column: Each week, Susan Wiedmann will write about nature or outdoor activities enjoyed by local residents.  Susan is a longtime freelance writer and photographer with a passion for capturing wildlife through her camera's lens. Please leave any comments about this article at the bottom of this page. You can contact Susan about possible topics at Susan@UpCloseWithMotherNature.com or at UpCloseWithMotherNature.com.