Artist Paula Martino paints impressionist scenes, especially of places with water. “They reflect the energy and emotions I feel when I see a compelling locale I visit,” says Paula. Using various tools, she applies thick layers of color with oil or acrylic paint and sometimes uses stencil work. With her palette knife technique, she unveils strands of lighter hues amidst her dominantly saturated palette, creating a semi-abstract element. Paula worked as a CPA for thirty-five years running her own tax practice while raising three children, with one having Down Syndrome. All the while pursuing art part-time in a studio her husband built for her in their basement. After retiring in 2020, she decided to pursue her art practice fully, studying in earnest with nationally recognized colorists, portrait artists, and landscape painters. “The experiences of caregiving and tax prep forced me to be very conscientious and organized with my time and efforts. I needed to be so completely organized for so long that it is a relief to be a little messy in my studio.”