�Rebecca's art is very diverse. She creates what she sees. When Rebecca looks at, what many people call junk, she may see all kinds of things - it's very much like seeing faces or objects or landscapes in the clouds. Empty space is filled when Rebecca sees it. Then she either takes found objects, or raw metal, or both and often combines them with paint, water, rock, glass, fire or any other material to help her create her vision. Rebecca's attempt is not to try and control - but to let the visions and materials control themselves, her work and her.

Rebecca Low was born in the small farming community of Tarkio, Missouri, in 1952. She graduated from Tarkio High School and spent her first two years of college attending DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. After transferring to Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, she graduated with a degree in Applied Art with an emphasis in interior design. She practiced interior design in Nebraska and Texas for twenty five years before closing her business  to pursue her artistic career as an artist in metal. Her last major interior design related project was to design and be the general contractor of her new 5000 square foot gallery and studio, and all of the landscaping. The gallery opened July 1, 1998.  The Rebecca Low Gallery is located on Camp Bowie West in Fort Worth, Texas."

More of Rebecca Low's work can be seen at rebeccalow.com

Marilyn Smith finally succumbed to the serious complications that she developed following back surgery on December 16.

Marilyn was a dedicated, long-time member of VAST. She exhibited in many VAST exhibitions including several Merging Visions exhibits and the Members Exhibitions. Her work was often juried into the Annual Calendar, and she participated and won awards in the monthly mini-shows. She worked primarily in watercolor, but also in pastel and clay. She attended many workshops and plein aire events and participated in critique groups. She made vital contributions to VAST with her time and money. She preferred behind the scene jobs helping in numerous ways - delivering flyers, helping in the kitchen, and providing food for receptions and meetings. She contributed many pieces of art to The Art Guild auctions.

I knew Marilyn a long time. We both lived on the same street for a time, but in the late 1990s, she joined one of my watercolor classes, and then I really got to know Marilyn! She told me upfront that she liked to try different things and that she might not take more classes. Indeed, she worked in many media mastering each one. And, she continued to take classes with me off and on until about a year ago.  She took all the workshops that VAST offered. I think watercolor painting gave her a challenge- a challenge that she was up for. She was tenacious in her journey to master the medium, and she succeeded.  She would not give up on a painting, but was determined to make each painting work! I so admired her! Her style was uniquely her own. She joined many of my plein-aire travel workshops going with me to Oaxaca, MX; Eureka Springs, AR; St. Francisville, LA; Lake Murray, OK; and the Wichita Mountains, OK. But, let me be clear, Marilyn gave me far more than I ever gave her. 

Marilyn was a Renaissance woman. She was smart as a whip and excelled at everything she did, and she did many things. She was an adventurer, riding a bicycle all over Europe, traveling to exotic places including China, India, Africa, and the Amazon, as well as many places throughout the United States. She helped her brother maintain their family farm in Marlin, TX. Even in her 70s, she continued to help work the land on a tractor or running power equipment to control the weeds.

We will all miss the generous, warm-hearted, and feisty individual that was Marilyn!

Jo Williams

Comments that folks have written about Marilyn:

Robin Huttash: "Marilyn was a unique individual who always had time for everyone."

Marlys Lamar: "...She seemed like such a strong woman."

Judy Ryan: "She was such a wonderful lady who will be missed by all that knew her! There weren't many like her...one in a million."

Carol Rowley: (in response to my calling Marilyn feisty) "She was the interesting and fun kind of feisty."

Gary Washmon: "Great lady - she will be missed."

Margi Stauver: "...She was one of a kind and will be missed."

Joyce Darling: "Marilyn was one of a kind. I think they broke the mold after she came along."

Isabel Cano: "She has been, and still is, a beautiful thread in my life."

Cyndy Hill: "I remember at one Ladies Lunch, someone said they had a new man in their life, and Marilyn said, 'what do you want one of those for?' It was hilarious."

Icy Iles: "I didn't know her well, but the few conversations I had with her through the years are valuable to me. She seemed like a treasure..."

Linda Hardy: "Marilyn was just a delightful person, so funny and so original."

Debby Price: "A much cobbled quote from someone opined, "tried everything once, and liked it"...or some such. Marilyn represented that to me. She had 'game.' Every adjective for unique fit her. I could call her and get a new, wonderful slant on any subject. I admired her blunt individuality and she ministered to my off-kilter soul with fresh material. She busily went about her life working to help the disfranchised, volunteering where she could make a difference, and being 'Marilyn.'"

Connie Ashley Akers: "I met Marilyn through a mutual friend who happened to be Mormon. That sort of sums up Marilyn's openness for me."

Alice Miller: "She was a bright spot whenever I saw her. She was so positive about her beliefs and who she was. She was always helping out whomever she felt needed help." 

Marilyn shown with winning work from previous Artist of the Month.