Mary Ann is a California-based abstract artist whose mixed media work explores the fluid intersections between nature, memory, and emotion. Inspired by the rhythmic motion of ocean waves, the quiet beauty of Sonoma’s vineyard hills, and the patterns found in both natural and urban landscapes, she builds her compositions with layers of texture and movement. Her tools include palette knives, brushes, scrapers, and found objects applied to canvas and board—materials chosen for their ability to create unexpected patterns and depth.

A lifelong creative, her artistic path was shaped by family influences and a personal yearning to make sense of the world through visual expression. Her evolution as an artist has led from structured beginnings to a more intuitive and carefree process, where spontaneity and emotion guide her hand. Recurring elements in her work include water motifs, warm and cool color harmonies, and a sense of flow—each piece intended to elicit an emotional or sensory response from the viewer.

Her art has been featured in numerous juried shows, including a national exhibition, and she completed a notable commissioned 4-foot by 10-foot piece that anchors a private collection. She draws ongoing inspiration from the California coastline and her home among the vineyards of Sonoma County. Influenced by de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, Franz Kline, Helen Frankenthaler, and family mentors, Mary Ann invites viewers to slow down, feel deeply, and reconnect with their own internal landscapes.

“There comes a moment when you stop planning, close your eyes, and let the brush find its own way.”