Mary Titus is a self-taught, prolific abstract and impressionistic painter based in Carmel, known for painting in oil with unexpected, vivid colors that are rich and deep. She works across all mediums, currently focusing on large-scale abstract painting, and is known for her large-format abstract contemporary works, ranging up to 5'x6' and beyond, along with custom commissioned sizes. True to her bold style, Titus has said she rarely paints small, preferring to work big. She owns and operates the Titus Contemporary Gallery on Dolores Street in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a space she expanded into a 4,100-square-foot gallery, large enough to fit roughly six of her original 600-square-foot Monterey location inside it. Beyond her own painting, she represents seven sculptors and a wood designer through her gallery, and regularly teaches painting workshops focused on technique, including private and couples' lessons. Known for her playful, exploratory approach to art-making, Titus has described her process simply: "I just play. It's play time." This same spirit of bold color and free-flowing abstraction comes through in her Heart of Carmel piece, where a gilded, mosaic-like surface frames the striking silhouette of a windswept cypress tree.