Main Street Painter Stops People in Tracks

An artist who will be painting "20-minute watercolor portraits" on the spot at the on Sunday and whose watercolors will be on display in the Chase Room of the in July turned heads on Monday afternoon as she painted in downtown Madison.

Marilyn Rose, a West Caldwell resident, said when she sells paintings at events people often look for paintings of their town, so she wanted to be sure she had some paintings of the Rose City on hand for the festival.

As she worked in front of the on Monday afternoon, passersby complimented her work. Some said they wished they could paint like her.

was visible in one of the paintings of Main Street and another watercolor featured the Waverly Place Clock.

"It's fun to try to find the pulse of the town," she said.

She especially likes the feedback she gets when painting in public, she said. People are able to interact with her as she's working and can watch the piece develop.

"They see their own world in your painting," she said.

More of Rose's work is available on her website.