People of Bass Lake series is dedicated to people who love, live, work or are simply inpired by our beautiful area.
Boats on the Lake
What are you waiting for?
Mary Beth Harrison, a retired teacher from Yosemite High School, had always wanted to be an artist. Specifically, she wanted to paint. She smiles, when she recalls how her art career got started. “My husband gifted me painting materials for my fiftieth birthday and said ‘What are you waiting for’? Nine years later I retired from teaching to paint full time”, she recalls.
That was it!
Not only did this local lover of art start painting, she combined that love with her love of history. Especially the history from our gorgeous lake and mountain communities.
Honoring Our Past
Ducey’s on the Lake
Her recent art show Honoring Our Past features twelve paintings of historical scenes. This collection took two years to complete.
The process is quite interesting. Mary Beth finds historic black and white photos. She then researches the story behind the photos. Finally, she brings the scenes to life in a painting. Her goal is that when people view her art, she wants them to have an appreciation for history and what came before.
Charity Project
Mary Beth offers her art for sale. All proceeds from her works go to a charity associated with the scene.
Bass Lake
Bass Lake
Besides the historical paintings, Mary Beth loves painting the natural beauty of the are – places like Bass Lake. “Bass Lake is a place that even if you live five miles away, when you get there, you feel like you are on vacation. It’s relaxing. It’s beautiful. The water sparkles. You are instantly on vacation. You’re at Bass Lake!”.
INTERVIEW
I had a pleasure to meet and interview Mary Beth at the Yosemite Getaway Art Center, right before her presentation.
Bonni: What is the title of your current art show?
Mary Beth: The title of my current show is Honoring our past. It’s twelve pieces that took me about two years to complete, each one taken from a historic photo in the area. They were in black and white and I put them back to life in color and researched the history.
Tell us a little bit about your background and the show.
Mary Beth: I grew up on the Coast of California. I moved to this area in 1992. I was a teacher at Yosemite High School all these years and in my last few years of teaching, I started painting and pretty soon it was all I could think about. I credit my husband for my career.
What did you teach at Yosemite High?
Mary Beth: I taught independent study and worked with kids who were at risk. I love the job and I love my new life.
What inspires you about history?
Mary Beth: History has always fascinated me. I like learning from the history and seeing how impacts the present.
What has been the most unusual or exciting thing you have learned yourself about local history through your paintings?
Native American Woman in Yosemite painting
Mary Beth: (referring to Native American Indian picture) This beautiful woman, her name was Ta-buce. She grew up in Yosemite Valley. They changed her name to Maggie. She had her home moved to a much less desirable location. She had to make a living by becoming a maid to tourists and then they would ask her to play a Plains Indian in Yosemite Valley, it wasn’t even her Native dress. She was constantly exposed to stares from tourists who would ask her how old she was, but everyone I read about who knew her described her as warm, friendly, engaging and funny. She would often tell people, ” I’m sixteen, how old are you?”. She was a master basket maker. She worked hard her whole life and somehow remained positive.
Mary Beth : (referring to tunnel tree picture) Today, we would be horrified to cut a tree like this. I do believe, though, it brought so many tourists out here who learned to appreciate these trees.
What about paintings about Bass Lake?
Historical McDougalds Resort (now Miller’s Landing)
Mary Beth: (referring to picture of McDougald’s – which is now Millers’ Landing) This one will support the Smokey Bear Run. This is the building that is now Miller’s Landing. It used to be McDougalds. McDougald was an immigrant from Canada who came here to work on our water system. He ended up building a little shop that had a post office, gas station, and groceries. Old timers who saw this painting online commented on what great memories they had of McDougalds.
(referring to picture of the Falls Resort) Over here we have The Falls Resort at Bass Lake, which is no longer there. The building is totally gone, but the foundation of it is still there by The Bridge by Willow Creek.
(pointing out painting of Ducey’s) Ducey’s is one of the places I got historic photos of from a couple here in town, Dwight and Stephanie Samuels. They had a good friend who had a little photography shop in The Pines Village. They got his whole collection when he passed and they have so many pictures of historic Bass Lake.
What would you like people to know about Bass Lake?
Mary Beth: Bass Lake is a place that even if you live five miles away, when you get there, you feel like you are on vacation. It’s relaxing, it’s beautiful, the water sparkles. There’s good food all around the Lake, places to sit outside and relax. You can kayak, you can body board, you can just float around. You are instantly on vacation. You’re at Bass Lake!
How do you feel about Yosemite?
Mary Beth: Yosemite is so awe inspiring, that it is hard to put into words. It’s like God’s Cathedral in nature. You just have to be there to experience it. People post their pictures of beautiful sunsets around the world and I think,….hmmm…. That’s nice, but it’s not Yosemite. It is something that should be on everybody’s Bucket List.
What’s next for you?
Mary Beth: Sierra Art Trails is coming up in October. I am creating a series called ‘Little Locals” and it will be small paintings, very affordable of local scenes that people who live up here will say ” I’ve been there! I know that place !”
19th Annual Yosemite Foothills Open Studio Tour
Two Weekends
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Sept. 30- Oct. 2nd
and Oct. 7-9, 2022
10 am – 5 pm
Open Wednesday -Monday 11 am – 5 pm
Contact:
Mary Beth can be reached on:
Facebook @ Sweet Home North Fork
Instagram at @marybeth.a.harrison
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