Born and raised in New England, Mary Wells moved to Portland, Oregon during the mid-1960s. Wells' life has
encompassed a number of business and artistic activities including work in textiles through Woodprint Designs, a company Wells created
as a venue for her hand-printed wood-blocked fabrics; the Green Mitten, a small retail shop that Wells owned and operated as an outlet
for her own textiles and original dress designs, along with other locally produced crafts; and, in addition to production and design
work on a number of local Portland publications, Publishers Bookworks, a publication production and book design service.
Wells began her studies at Oregon College of Art & Craft (OCAC) in 1999 with a concentration in Drawing, but later changed her major concentration to Book Arts. She received her BFA degree from OCAC in 2003.
Since graduating from OCAC Wells’ work has been exhibited in a number of different venues. She has participated in juried events in Portland at the Hoffman, Guardino and Froelick Galleries. Wells work has also been juried into exhibits at the Phinney Center in Seattle, Washington; the Annual Visual Arts Showcase in Beaverton, Oregon; and twice into shows at ArtCentric in Corvallis, Oregon. In addition Wells has donated work sold at benefit auctions for OCAC and Waste Not, a juried benefit auction for Disjecta and SCRAP. In 2006 Wells won the First Place Mixed Media Award at the 24th Annual Visual Arts Showcase, Beaverton, Oregon and the Curator's Choice Award at Parts & Pieces, National Collage Competition, ArtCentric, Corvallis, Oregon. This year Wells was awarded the Popular Opinion Artist’s Award at ArtCentric’s Oregon Visions show and was a Merit Award Winner at the 2007 Craft Biennial: A Review of Northwest Art and Craft held at the Hoffman Gallery.
Wells began her studies at Oregon College of Art & Craft (OCAC) in 1999 with a concentration in Drawing, but later changed her major concentration to Book Arts. She received her BFA degree from OCAC in 2003.
Since graduating from OCAC Wells’ work has been exhibited in a number of different venues. She has participated in juried events in Portland at the Hoffman, Guardino and Froelick Galleries. Wells work has also been juried into exhibits at the Phinney Center in Seattle, Washington; the Annual Visual Arts Showcase in Beaverton, Oregon; and twice into shows at ArtCentric in Corvallis, Oregon. In addition Wells has donated work sold at benefit auctions for OCAC and Waste Not, a juried benefit auction for Disjecta and SCRAP. In 2006 Wells won the First Place Mixed Media Award at the 24th Annual Visual Arts Showcase, Beaverton, Oregon and the Curator's Choice Award at Parts & Pieces, National Collage Competition, ArtCentric, Corvallis, Oregon. This year Wells was awarded the Popular Opinion Artist’s Award at ArtCentric’s Oregon Visions show and was a Merit Award Winner at the 2007 Craft Biennial: A Review of Northwest Art and Craft held at the Hoffman Gallery.
In 2006 and 2007 Wells participated in Portland Open Studios, a juried event that opens the studios of almost 100 individual artists to the public during the second and third weekends in October. During Open Studios visitors have the opportunity to watch and talk with the artists while they work.
Currently Wells is represented in Oregon by Augen Gallery in Portland, Oregon at two locations and on the internet at www.augengallery.com.
| EDUCATION: | |
| 2003 | BFA, Oregon College of Art & 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 |
| EXHIBITIONS: | |
| 2007 | 2007 Portland Open Studios, Portland, Oregon |
| 2007 | 2007 Craft Biennial: A Review of Northwest Art and Craft, Hoffman Gallery, Portland, Oregon |
| 2007 | Two Person show, Guardino Gallery, Portland, Oregon |
| 2007 | Road Show, Froelick Gallery, Portland, Oregon |
| 2007 | Oregon Visions, ArtCentric Main Gallery, Corvallis, Oregon |
| 2007 | Alumni Centennial Exhibition, Hoffman Gallery, Oregon College of Art & Craft |
| 2006 | Portland Open Studios, Portland, Oregon |
| 2006 | Parts & Pieces, National Collage Competition, ArtCentric Main Gallery, 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 Artist Showcase, Cabell Center, Portland, Oregon |
| 2003 | Thesis Show, Hoffman Gallery, Oregon College of Art & Craft |
| 2002/ 01 | Juried Shows, Hoffman Gallery, 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, ArtCentric, 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, ArtCentric, Corvallis, Oregon |
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