Mary’s venture into art started early with growing up next door to an artist who always had her studio door open to her, becoming her mentor and teacher. Mary would sit and watch the magic of a white canvas be covered in paint; watercolors or oils. Mary’s art education continued at University of California San Jose where she took a class in the new area called Fabric Arts. Her professor brought with her from England a new fabric dye, Procion Dye, which allowed her to paint dye onto fabric like she had applied paint onto paper and canvas. The process grabbed her and never let go.

After graduating from college with her BA in Design and Special Studies in Fiber, Mary worked doing ad layouts for department stores and individual companies. She continued painting and dyeing fabric, entering juried shows, showing in galleries, teaching dyeing classes, and doing volunteer art education in the elementary schools.

Mary’s artwork can be found in private and public collections, juried and invitational art shows and as a member of Lunaria Gallery in Silverton, Oregon.

Artist Statement