Nebraska artist uses nature, photographs to inspire her work

As a child, Marjorie Schneider couldn’t wait for Friday afternoons.

But not because she was wishing for the weekend.

Friday afternoons were synonymous with sandpainting and art class.

So inspired was Schneider by grade-school teacher Kathleen Connel, that she also became a teacher and an artist.

In fact, that one-room schoolhouse in Newport opened up the world for Schneider.

Fremont area residents have the opportunity to see some of Schneider’s work at The Loft of Gallery 92 West in Fremont. Schneider, now a resident of Bee, is the featured artist for November.

“She’s a wonderful pastel artist. Pastels are so difficult. She does a fantastic job with them,” said Pamela King, executive director of the Fremont Area Art Association.

Although her current work is mainly watercolor and pastel, Schneider’s work includes oils, acrylics and colored pencil. Schneider has won numerous awards and displayed her work in galleries across Nebraska.

Her formal art training began 40 years ago. Tom Palmerton, Chauncey Nelson, Tom Talbot and Jessica Zemsky are just a few of the instructors who also inspired Schneider.

Schneider joined the Sandpainters Art Club in Valentine in 1967. She joined the Fremont Area Art Association after retiring in 2000.

Before retirement, Schneider lived on a ranch near Cody with her husband, Jerald.

“We used to live by the Niobrara River in Cherry County and had land on both sides of the river from 1958-2000,” Marjorie said.

Water became a favorite subject for Marjorie, including river scenes and waterfalls.

“There was a little falls, Horseshoe Falls, not a well-known falls,” Marjorie explained.

Snake Falls and Smith Falls also came to life on her canvas.

Tending to the land and raising three children ended her teaching career. Often, it was even difficult to devote time to art.

“It was a lot of work. We not only had cattle, we had irrigation — six center pivots. When we weren’t busy with cattle, we were busy with hauling corn,” Marjorie said. “I had a large garden and did plenty of canning.

“We raised sunflowers for oil,” she added. “That’s where my sunflower watercolors came from.”

Distance also created some obstacles.

“It was 11 miles to town when we needed something. A lot of the time, Cody didn’t even have a grocery store,” she added.

“Our nearest neighbor for a long time was seven miles away in the sand hills,” noted Marjorie.

But she never felt alone until last year.

That’s when a wave of sadness overtook Marjorie.

One she thought she just couldn’t brush away.

Her husband of 47 years was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He endured numerous hospitalizations and daily radiation, but on March 27, Jerald died.

“After that, I didn’t think I wanted to paint again,” Marjorie said. “It was hard for me to get out and do anything.”

For a time, Marjorie’s canvases were blank.

But while attending a grief support group in Lincoln, a counselor suggested the participants “paint their feelings.”

Marjorie painted a glacier.

“It showed how cold and alone I felt,” Marjorie explained.

She started painting again — for therapy. But it wasn’t easy.

These days, she paints mainly from photographs. The outdoors serves as subject material, as always.

“I go out and sketch too, but it’s easier to paint from photos. When you are outside, the wind blows or it rains — but I like to paint outside,” Marjorie said.

Marjorie files away vacation photographs and paints later.

“On trips, there’s not time to sketch,” she said.

Alaska is second only to Nebraska when it comes to Marjorie’s subjects, since a trip in 2004.

“Ketchikan, Alaska, used to be a red light district for miners. The buildings are built on wooden platforms,” Marjorie said.

She also enjoyed the mountain scenery.

Now that things are looking up, one of Marjorie’s next pastel projects might be Alaska’s Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America.

Closer to home, Marjorie takes daily walks.

“I’ve been noticing the milkweed pods opening,” added Marjorie.

A welcome sight for Marjorie, who is just opening her paintbox again.

“I’m just starting over,” Marjorie said.