Written by Trisha Ries 
Art is an expression or collection of creative works inspired by the imagination of its creator. Your inspiration might be a beautiful sunset, a fallen tree, or something macabre. Inspiration can be found in anything from the living to the inanimate. The holidays got me thinking about the art right outside of my door, so I reached out to a few local artists to find out what inspires them.
One of the first people I reached out to was our very own unofficial Historian of Marietta, and all things Special Fire Police, Stephen Bailey. Stephen has a multitude of hidden talents and hobbies, but one of my favorites is his ability to faithfully recreate historic and fictional buildings in miniature. Stephen is amazingly adept at model building. All of Stephen’s creations are made from scratch. Bailey’s imagination and admiration are what inspires him to create. If you haven’t had the pleasure to see any of his miniatures, friend him on Facebook! They are a real treat.
Local Marietta Darling, Susan Darling is another inspiring Marietta artist. A woman after my own heart, she paints more abstract art that centers around design as well as the joy of color. Susan currently teaches art at the York Art Association. Her love and admiration for art shows in every piece that she does. Susan Darling is also a member of a newer group called Marietta Art Alive (MAA). MAA had a pop up art show at the end of September, and has plans to do more.
“This is a source of great joy for me because I believe the art is for EVERYONE. We all have a creative spark and I love to help people access that.”
Having sold a few pieces during quarantine, Susan has done custom pieces as well. You can view the wonderful art of Susan Darling on her website davittidarling.com.
You may have seen our next Marietta artist out and about with her easel and brushes, like a majestic art knight going off to battle. Marita Hines has captured the beauty of Marietta time and time again with her captivating watercolors. A retired Postal Financial Analyst, Marita decided to pursue her lifelong dream of doing art full time.
“I quickly learned that painting en plein air (outside on site) was my passion. My work is about 50% painted en plein air and 50% in the studio. While painting outdoors is challenging, there’s nothing else like it as a learning tool. Painting an ever-changing landscape loosens your style and forces you to focus on the important aspects of your painting.”
With several awards under her belt, Marita is also a member of MAA, and hosted the pop-up event in her glorious backyard garden setting. You can view Marita’s art on her website, maritahines.com, or ask for an appointment of her studio. Masked guests are welcome.
Being a personal fan of all things horror, and non-computer-generated imagery effects, one of my favorite local artists is Dawn Flynn. Going by the alias Flynnderella, Dawn has such an eclectic collection of paintings and special effects portraits, it will make your head spin like Linda Blair.
“My passion to make a difference in the world is what inspires me to do art and makeup. I put my heart and soul into every piece of art or makeup I do. The love I have for my family and the love and support I get from my family is also what inspires me to be a good, respectful role model for both young and old. My family and boyfriend inspire me to be the best version of myself.”
Dawn is also a talented make-up artist, and does special occasion make-up as well. Dawn’s work can be viewed on her Facebook page: facebook.com/makeupbyflynnderella/ and Instagram.
There are so many talented people in our beloved town, some known and others unknown. Inspiration is everything, and everywhere. Find what inspires you, the sky’s the limit!
“Creative thinking inspires ideas. Ideas inspire change.” –Barbara Januszkiewicz 
