About the Artist

Mimmie Hedges Byrne lives in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and Morgantown West Virginia.

As one of nine children she grew up in West Virginia surrounded by nature and observing it as a direct everyday experience. She has lived in WV except for college years in New York and her current part time residence in South Carolina. Her husband Bill is her most significant enthusiast about entering the art world and continues to be the most important critic, supporter and framer of her work. She has two adult children who are now grown with their own families in Morgantown WV and Roanoke Va.

She is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at West Virginia University where she taught, conducted research, and had a clinical practice as a psychotherapist for over 30 years. Her career as a teacher and therapist taught her that observing through listening and watching is the most basic and essential form of research. She continues to use those skills as an artist and believes that her career taught her that reality can be seen and experienced in many ways. She also continues work as a volunteer mental health therapist at Volunteers in Medicine as well as enjoying frequent rounds of golf with friends.

She has enjoyed the art world in her retirement, learning much through workshops and other learning opportunities. She enjoys painting familiar scenes in the low country with new ways of expressing them. Travel provides opportunity to see the beauty of different parts of the world. Most of her work is landscapes and figures, but she never tires of looking for another low country marsh or bird to paint.

She is grateful for all that has influenced her artwork including the beauty of the low country and rural WV, the wonderful instructors at the Art League of Hilton Head and beyond; and most importantly friends who paint with her weekly and share her love of art and learning.