Laura Craig McNellis

Laura Craig McNellis at Ricco|Maresca Gallery. "...Laura Craig McNellis was born on September 8, 1957, in Nashville, Tennessee, and was the youngest of four sisters. Her father is a retired postal worker and her mother a homemaker. McNellis's mental retardation became apparent early in her life. Although there was some social pressure to institutionalize her, her family was determined that she grow up at home. She attended day classes for mentally challenged children from ages four to six, but was removed when the repetitiveness of the classes eventually frustrated her. Her family decided that learning at home presented a wider range of opportunities, both social and artistic. From a time when she was very young it was evident to those around her that McNellis greatly enjoyed painting.
McNellis has been painting regularly, using tempera on blank newsprint as her medium, since childhood. For years her father brought home stacks of blank newsprint to keep up with the volume of her production. She still works only on this newsprint and has rejected any offers of canvas or better quality paper." More... Works by Laura Craig McNellis at The Enola Group.