How often have we heard that good things come in small packages? The next question is “How small is small?” The viewer gets drawn into the detail that takes this condensation of a grand landscape and translates it into such a small space.
Mary grew up traveling. Her father was in the Army, so the family experienced France, Hawaii, and Japan before settling in Maryland. She has vivid memories of the vineyards of France, the hills of Oahu, and the colorful kimonos of Japan. With a mother who was an artist, it was quite natural for Mary to experience the museums in Baltimore and in Washington, D.C., especially loving the Phillips Collection. As a young woman, she graduated from art school and moved to New York where she continued her studies at the Art Students League, and School of Visual Arts, Pratt, and the American Museum of Natural History. Her career was in the field of graphic design, and she has been a graphic designer/art director since 1978. In 2005 she took up oil painting again and added pastels to that repertoire in 2010. Pastels are now her meduim of choice! Mary paints landscape, still life, the human figure, and animal portraits. Landscape holds a special place in her heart, especially since moving to Colorado in 2016.
In 2024, Mary was awarded Third Place in the first annual Palmer Lakes, CO, plein air event; an Honorable Mention at the Westcliffe, CO, Alla Prima event; and Best Body of Work and a Patron Award at the Florence, CO, Paint the Town event. She presented a discussion on pastel at Victor Celebrates the Arts plein air event in Victor, CO. In 2025 her painting “Road to No Where” was accepted into the Pastel Society of Colorado’s Mile High Show. She was awarded an Honorable Mention at the Victor Plein Air Event.
Mary comes to us from the Pikes Peak Pastel Society –
https://pikespeakpastel.org/. Mary will be showing us underpainting techniques with pastels. Please bring an apron and an old towel to put under your chair.
