Mary Wells, born: 1946, Providence, Rhode Island.I was born and raised in New England. In the mid-1960s I moved to Portland, Oregon where I have lived ever since. My life has encompassed a variety of artistic, business and family activities, including textile and clothing design, publication production, book design, parenting six children and working as a professional artist.

I began my artistic career as a textile designer. After graduating from school I was mentored in the craft of hand-printing woodblock textiles and for several years I owned a small shop where I sold my textiles, clothing I designed using these textiles and other locally produced crafts.

During the 1970s my focus changed to print media and I worked in publication production and designed books through my business, Publishers Bookworks.

In 1999—after having dedicated myself to my large and lively family for many years—I began fulltime studies at Oregon College of Art and Craft (OCAC) with concentrations in drawing and book arts. The summer of 2000 I attended ‘Venice through Painting, Drawing and Collage’ in Venice, Italy. I received my BFA degree from OCAC in 2003.

Since earning my BFA I have returned to my life as a professional artist focusing primarily on the medium of collage. My work has been exhibited in the Pacific Northwest through a number of invitational and juried exhibits where I have won several awards. My work has been favorably reviewed in the Portland press. In 2008 my work appeared in Studio Visit a juried selection of international visual artists published by Open Studios Press.

In 2007 I was part of a two-person exhibit at Guardino Gallery. That year I joined the Margo Jacobsen Gallery and participated in three-person exhibit. I had my first solo exhibit, Momento, in 2008 at the Augen Gallery.

I am currently represented by Augen Gallery in Portland, Oregon.

 

EDUCATION:  
2003 BFA, Oregon College of Art and Craft, Portland, Oregon
2000 Continuing Education: School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
  Venice through Painting, Drawing, and Collage: Venice, Italy
1988 - 1989 Marylhurst College, Portland, Oregon
1982 - 1984 Portland State University, Portland, Oregon
   
SELECTED JURIED AND INVITATIONAL EXHIBITIONS:
2010 Art 2010, Viridian Artists, New York City, New York
2009 Annual Juried Miniature Show, Cannon Beach Gallery, Cannon Beach, Oregon
2009 Conversations with Nature: The 16th Annual Sitka Art Invitational, Portland, Oregon
2008 Solo Exhibit, Momento, Augen Gallery, Portland, Oregon
2007 3-Person Exhibit, Margo Jacobsen Gallery, Portland, Oregon
2007 2007 Craft Biennial: A Review of Northwest Art and Craft, Hoffman Gallery, Portland, Oregon
2007 2-Person show, Guardino Gallery, Portland, Oregon
2007 Road Show, Froelick Gallery, Portland, Oregon
2007 Oregon Visions, ArtCentric (Art Center), Corvallis, Oregon
2007 Alumni Centennial Exhibition, Hoffman Gallery, Oregon College of Art and Craft
2006/07 Portland Open Studios, Portland, Oregon
2006 Parts & Pieces, National Collage Competition, ArtCentric (Art Center), Corvallis, Oregon
2006 Waste Not Art Event, Portland, Oregon
2006 24th Annual Visual Arts Showcase 2006, Beaverton, Oregon
2005 Phinney Center Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2003 Emerging Artists Invitational, Cabell Center, Portland, Oregon
2003 Thesis Show, Hoffman Gallery, Oregon College of Art and Craft, Portland, Oregon
2001/ 02/ 03 Juried Shows, Hoffman Gallery, Oregon College of Art and Craft, Portland, Oregon
   
AWARDS:  
2007 Merit Award Winner, 2007 Craft Biennial: A Review of Northwest Art and Craft, Hoffman Gallery, Portland Oregon
2007 Popular Opinion Artist's Award, Oregon Visions, Art Center, Corvallis, Oregon
2006 First Place Mixed Media, 24th Annual Visual Arts Showcase 2006, Beaverton, Oregon
2006 Curator's Choice Award, Parts & Pieces, National Collage Competition, Art Center, Corvallis, Oregon
   
PUBLICATIONS:
Studio Visit Magazine, 2008
The Oregonian, 10/2/2008, 8/12/2007
Portland Tribune, 10/10/2006
Creative Outlook, 2002
   
GALLERY REPRESENTATION:
Augen Gallery, 716 NW Davis Street, Portland, Oregon, 97209
Viridian Artists, 530 West 25th Street, #407, NY, NY 10001
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