There were many adventures since those early carefree days: college, marriage, children, grandchildren and career changes. There were also many moves that afforded new experiences, new opportunities, and new worlds in which to marvel. Mary's journey took her from the Midwest lakes and prairies to the Colorado mountains, plains and rivers. She finally arrived in Arizona, home of the Southwest's deserts, canyons, and mountains (2015). It is here that Mary and her husband, Jerry,  arduously hand crafted their own home and settled in.

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      And it was there that Mary finally found the time and the inspiration to begin her work with pen and ink (2019). Many art forms were embarked upon before the simplicity of black and white held her interest. She felt it allowed one to 'imagine' the colors, textures, and feelings of the subject at hand. She taught herself the techniques of zentangle and zen doodle; sharpened her line drawing skills and worked on the subtleties of stippling. Then, taking a somewhat mathematical approach to her designs, her subjects painstakingly emerged with a significantly contemporary take on a very familiar figure. All this from her treasure trove of 'nature' memories.

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      Always stirred by nature, Mary is now concentrating on a series of Southwest designs: 'Critters - Feathered and Furred' (2023).  Of course the iconic Roadrunner was one of her first subjects in this series. Upon finishing this piece, she entered 'Myrtle, Resident Roadrunner' into two competitions and received an Honorable Mention at the Huachuca Art Gallery in Sierra Vista, Arizona where she is a member. She also won a Third Place at the San Pedro River Arts Council Show in Benson, Arizona. 

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      Her inkings are continually evolving as she researches, writes, and plays with sketches in the sunlit rooms of Tamamade Studios in Hereford, Arizona.