Mary Erickson grew up sketching the beaches of Long Island Sound and sold her first painting to Gulf+Western Industries in Stamford, Connecticut at 13.She studied at the University of Bridgeport and Sacred Heart University, and initially worked in small business management. Erickson's passion for painting, and a move to Florida in 1986, stirred the desire to pursue art as a career. Finally, she realized a long held dream, and in 1993, Mary began painting professionally.

Preferring to work on location, in the tradition of painters since the French Impressionists, Mary travels extensively. She creates field studies (plein air) then returns to the studio to produce large paintings using the visual knowlege and critical information gathered in the field.Painting tours have taken her to Spain, Guatemala, Argentina, Ireland and throughout the United States. Whether solitary excursions (like scouring the coast of Maine for painting sites with her rescue dog, Maggie) or group efforts with other professionals or students, Mary believes these painting trips are essential to an artist's career and growth. Future trips are planned to Italy, France, Costa Rica, Mexico and New Zealand.

A lifelong conservationist, Mary's 39 acre residence in North Carolina is slated to be left as an artist retreat and bird sanctuary. It is listed on the North Carolina Birding Trail, and can be seen at www.HighRidgeGardens.org.

Mary is co-founder of the American Tonalist Society, an organization formed to recognize, promote and showcase the current tonalist movement, and to continue the tradition of the American Tonalists of the 1800s. Erickson is also the founder of The Nanatuck Group, a seasonal gathering of professional artists and modern day art colony, who paint along the coast of Maine, based in Port Clyde on the St. George peninsula. She is a Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA). In addition to Artists for Conservation and the Society of Animal Artists, memberships include the Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society. Mary has served on the board of Big Brothers / Big Sisters, and as an advisor to several national plein air events. She is available for lively demonstrations and inspiring lectures about art and conservation. Erickson currently maintains studios in Marshville, NC and Venice, FL. In the summer she rents a large house in Port Clyde, ME and shares the experience with other professional artists. Daily painting excursions and art talks into the night typify the weeks into early September.

Mary's work is collected throughout the United States and Europe. Her largest project to date is the creation of artwork for the WaterStreet Hotel in Apalachicola, Florida. This luxurious waterfront property features Mary's original oil paintings and reproductions in the hotel lobby and each of the suites. Every Mary Erickson print edition includes a special edition of 100 prints used exclusively to raise funds for conservation, preservation, and educational organizations throughout the USA.

ARTICLES

REPRESENTATION

People find my work soothing and relaxing. Perhaps it is my reverence for the subjects I portray, and the spiritual sense of belonging I get when I am out in Nature. With a child-like excitement, I am awed and inspired by our planet. Paintings are my way of sharing its beauty. When painting outdoors, the emotion of the landscape is distilled through the artist, so the plein air painting is often not a literal translation, but a filtered rendition of all five senses. I want the viewer to sense the peacefulness of a place, hear the excitement of crashing waves, or feel the warm breeze on the beach. As much as want to portray the look of the landscape – I want to paint the experience of being there. I am searching for the truth in a scene, and when I find it and paint it, those senses and emotions all come through the brush and onto the canvas.

As an artist I will leave a body of work that represents my lifelong passion and respect for our environment. I believe there will come a day when the only places we will be allowed a glimpse of true nature will be in the parks and preserves we set aside today. As it gets more and more difficult to find "natural" areas, we must protect the untouched and undeveloped and its inhabitants, now, and support the organizations that do so. My 39-acre residence in North Carolina is slated to be left for future generations as a bird sanctuary and artists' retreat, as a spiritual place to respond to Nature, listen to the wind and birdsong, and return to our roots as part of a greater whole. Every painting I complete is a step to further that goal. www.HighRidgeGardens.org

CAREER HONORS
Second Place, Animals in Art, Smithtown Township Arts Council, Tim Newton, awards judge, Mills Pond Gallery, Saint James, NY July 2016 
Coastal Habitat Management Residency & Solo Exhibition, Port St. Joe Buffer Preserve Oct 2015
Judges Choice, Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, Boardwalk Show, Virginia Beach, VA Jun 2014
Invited to be a member of Artists for Conservation 2013
Juried into The Society of Animal Artists 2013
Elected Member of PAP-SE (Plein Air Painters of the South East) 2012
Awarded Signature Membership, American Society of Marine Artists(ASMA) 2011
Awarded Signature Membership, American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA) May '11
Best in Show, Callaway Gardens Plein Air Event, Jean Stern, awards judge, Pine Mountain, GA, Apr '11
Award of Excellence, Under the Oaks, Whalehead Club, Corolla, NC Jun '10
Artists' Choice, Village Green Paint out, Cashiers, NC Jul '10
Peoples' Choice Quick Draw, Village Green Paint out, Cashiers, NC Jul '10
Merit Award, Paint Out in Paradise, Venice, FL March '10
Award of Excellence, Paint the Town Plein Air Invitational, Alla Prima Fine Art, St. Pete, FL Apr '10Winner, Showcase Your State - Massachusetts, American Artist Magazine, May 2009
Patron Award, Isle of Eight Flags Juried Festival, Fernandina Beach, May 2009
Best in Show,  Paint Out in Paradise, Venice, FL March 2009
Best in Show, Paint the Town, St. Pete, FL, March 2009
Patron Award & Honorable Mention,  Isle of Eight Flags Juried  Festival, Fernandina Beach, FL May 2008
PaintAmerica, Mini Top 50 Competition, 2007-8 Traveling Exhibition, Dec '07
Top 40 Peoples Choice, Small Works Show, Greenwich Workshop Gallery, Fairfield, CT, Nov '07
Monthly Finalist, Raymart Art Competition, RaymarArt.com, Phoenix, AZ, Jul '07
Isle of Eight Flags award, Isle of Eight Flags Festival, Fernandina Beach, FL, May '07
First Place, Doug Helms Memorial Show, Union County Arts Council, Monroe, NC Dec '06
Honorable Mention, Atalaya Fine Art, Pawleys Island, SC Sept '06
Patron Purchase Award, Isle of Eight Flags Juried Festival, Fernandina Beach, FL May '06
Award of Excellence, Paint the Town Plein Air Invitational, Alla Prima Fine Art, St. Pete, FL  Apr '06
Patron Purchase Award, Isle of Eight Flags Juried Festival, Fernandina Beach, FL May '05
Honorable Mention, Annual Spring into Art Competition, Charlotte Art League, Charlotte, NC May '05
Award of Excellence, Paint the Town Plein Air Invitational, Alla Prima Fine Art Gallery, St. Petersburg, FL  Apr '05
Artists' Choice 2nd Place, Mountains to the Coast Plein Air Invitational, Germanton Gallery, NC Apr '05
Patron Purchase Award, Florida Wildlife Exposition, Sarasota, FL Jan '05
Merit Award, Annual Fall into Art Competition, Charlotte Art League, Charlotte, NC  Nov '04
Patron Purchase Award, Isle of Eight Flags Juried Festival, Fernandina Beach, FL  May '04
Award of Distinction, Annual Florida Competition, Center for the Arts, Bonita Springs, FL Mar '04
Purchase Award, Florida Wildlife Exposition, Lakeland, FL Jan '04
Third Place, Fine Arts Juried Festival, Englewood, FL Mar '03
Second Place, Isle of Eight Flags Juried  Festival, Fernandina Beach, FL  May '02
Third Place, Isle of Eight Flags Juried  Festival, Fernandina Beach, FL  May '01
Patron Award,  Isle of Eight Flags Juried  Festival, Fernandina Beach, FL May '01
Best in Show, Autumn in Topsail Juried Festival, Topsail Island, NC  Oct '00
Peoples' Choice Award, Wild Autumn Exposition, Sarasota, FL Oct '98
Selected artist for poster design, Art Fest, Venice, FL Nov '98, '97, '96, '95, '94
Finalist, The Artist's Magazine 1995 Art Competition, Wildlife category
Top 200, Arts for the Parks, Jackson Hole, Wyoming Oct '94

CAREER EXHIBITIONS
ASMA 18th National Exhibition, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum September 2021
ASMA 18th National Exhibition, Minnesota Maritime Art Museum in Winona, Minnesota June 2021
ASMA 18th National Exhibition, Burroughs-Chapin Museum of Art in Myrtle Beach, SC Jan 2021

ASMA 18th National Exhibition, Gulf Quest Maritime Museum in Mobile AL, Sep-Dec 2020
Society of Animal Artists Members Exhibition, Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum, Oradell NJ, Dec 2020
ASMA 18th National Exhibition Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels MD, May 2020
National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society - Spring International Online Exhibition, May 2020
International Marine Art Exhibit, Jamestown Settlement Museum, Williamsburg VA, Mar 2020
Plein Air Painters of the SouthEast (PAP-SE) Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville GA, Jan 2020

Hunting, Soaring Flying - Birds and their habitat - Solo Exhibition, Helena Fox Fine Art Charleston SC Dec 2019
Lecture and Art Presentation for Charlotte Artists Guild at the Mint Museum Randolph - Oct 2019
8th Annual Artists for Conservation Exhibition - Lanwam Museum and Eco-Art Park in Qingdao, China, Oct 2019.
American Society of Marine Artists 19th Annual Maritime Exhibit, Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay OR, Jul 2019

Plein Air Painters of the Southeast- Leiper's Fork exhibit - October 2018
International Marine Art Exhibit and Sale, Mystic Seaport - September 2018
Grouse Mountain Resort, Artists for Conservation Annual Exhibit, Vancouver, BC, Canada - August 2018
Silent Skies Mural, Artists for Conservation - August 2018
Elder Gallery, Sojourn en Provence, Charlotte, NC - April 2018
Lecture and Art Presentation Venice Audubon Society - April 2018
Painting "Childhood Memories" Selected for the United States Arts in Embassies Program and will be on exhibit at the American Embasy in Prague until 2020.

Solo Show, Marshville Museum and Cultural Center, Marshville, NC July 2017
Artists for Conservation, Annual Touring Exhibition Van Dusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver, BC (The AFC Touring Exhibit will continue from August 1 - September 30, 2018 at the Lanwan Art Museum at LanwanEco Art Park, Qingdao City, China.)
Presentation "Making art, making a difference" Plein Air South Convention, Apalachicola, FL May 2017
Plein Air Painters of the Southeast (PAP-SE) Plein Air Event, Turner Center, Thomasville, GA April 2017
American Society of Marine Artists Annual Show, Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, CT July 2017
American Society of Marine Artists Annual Show, Muscarelle Museum, Williamsburg, VA May 2017
American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA) Annual Show, Minnesota Marine Art Museum, MN April 2017
The Florida Four, Exhibition of Miniatures, Casselberry Art House, Casselberry, FL Nov 2017

The American Masters Show, Salmagundi Club, NYC, NY Sept 2016
Invitational Plein Air, Painting the Forgotten Coast, Apalachicola, FL May 2016
Casselberry, FL The Art House, The Florida Four Annual Exhibition, April 2016
Plein Air Painters of the Southeast (PAP-SE), Venice Exhibition, Venice Art Center, Venice, FL Mar 2016
First Place PAP-SE Paint Out, Venice Art Center, Venice, FL mar 2016
Featured Artist for March, Sheldon Fine Art, Naples, FL Feb 2016

Artists for Conservation, Annual Exhibition Tour, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ August 2015
Invitational Plein Air, Painting the Forgotten Coast, Apalachicola to St. Joe, FL May 2015
Casselberry FL, The Art House, The Florida Four Annual Exhibition Apr 2015
Solo Show Elder Gallery, Mary Erickson - Making Art, Making a Difference, Charlotte, NC April 2015
American Society of Marine Artists, Juried Regional Exhibition, Gadston Art Center, Quincy, FL April - June 2015
Casselberry Art House, The Florida Four, Casselberry, FL Nov 2015
Elder Gallery, Mary Erickson- Making Art, Making a Difference, Charlotte, NC Oct 2015
American Society of Marine Artists, Reflections Annual Exhibition, Gadston Art Center, Quincy, FL Spring 2015
Artists for Conservation, Exhibition Tour, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ Summer 2015

Grouse Mountain Resort, Artists for Conservation Annual Exhibit, Vancouver, BC, Canada Sept 2014
Elder Gallery, Women Artists of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC July 2014
Helena Fox Fine Art, Solo Exhibition, Charleston, SC,  Apr 2014
Casselberry Art House, Exhibition of The Florida Four, Casselberry, FL, Mar 2014
Sheldon Fine Art,Featured Artist, Naples, FL, Feb 2014
M Gallery of Fine Art, American Impressionist Society,National Exhibition, Charleston, SC, Nov 2013
McBride Gallery, Oil Painters of AmericaEastern Regional, Annapolis, MD  Oct 2013
The Englishman Art & Antiques, The Florida Four, Naples, FL, Mar 2013
Cornell Museum of Art and American Culture, Delray Beach, FL
Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, AL
Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, TX
Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, T
Museum of the Southwest, Midland, TX
The Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA
Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, OR
Minnesota Museum of Marine Art, Winona, MN
American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA) 15th National Exhibition  Nov 2011-Jan 2013
Easton Invitational Plein Air  Easton, MD July 2012
Bennington Center for the Arts, Impressions of New England, Sept 2012
Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Between the Shining Seas, American Society of Marine Artists juried exhibition, June '10
Minnesota Marine Art Museum, ASMA juried exhibition, Between the Shining Seas, Sept '10
Inaugural Exhibition, Florida Museum for Women Artists, Deland, FL Nov '09
American Impressionist Society National Juried Exhibition Oct '09
Solo Exhibition, "Artist's Journey, North to South," Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC May '09
16th Annual Southeast Invitational Miniature Show, Germanton Gallery, Germanton, NC Dec 2008
Small Works Show, Greenwich Workshop Gallery, Fairfield, CT Nov 2008
“Brush With Reality” 3 Person Show. Elder Gallery Charlotte, NC. Oct. 2008
Art Institute &Gallery 17th Annual National Juried Exhibition, Sep/Oct 2008, Salisbury, Md.
The 112th Annual Open Juried Exhibition presented by the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, The National Arts Club, New York, NY. Sep/Oct 2008
“The Naturalist's World” Group Show. Elder Gallery Charlotte, NC. Aug. 2008
Plein Air Invitational, Apalachicola to St. Joe, FL May 2008
Plein Air Invitational, Germanton Gallery, Germanton, NC Apr 2008
Small Works Show, Greenwich Workshop Gallery, Fairfield, CT Nov '07
Women in Art, Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC Oct '07
Featured artist, Things with Wings, Germanton Gallery, Germanton, NC Oct '07
Four person exhibition, Visions of Nature, Sheldon Fine Art, Naples, FL July '07
ASMA, 14th Annual Maritime Exhibition, Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, OR Jul '07
Invitational Plein Air, Painting the Forgotten Coast, Apalachicola to St. Joe, FL May '07
Oil Painters of America, Ntl Juried Exhibition, WhistlePik Gallery, Fredericksberg, TX May '07
Hilton Head National, Walter Greer Gallery, Hilton Head, SC  May '07
Two person Exhibition, A Florida State of Mind, Alla Prima Fine Art, St. Petersberg, FL  Mar '07
Solo Exhibition and Presentation, Batte Fine Arts Center, Wingate University, Wingate, NC Mar '07
Solo exhibition, Lois Morgan  Edwards Memorial Library , Marshville, NC  July '06
Invitational Show, Things with Wings, Germanton Gallery, Germanton, NC Sept '06, annually since 1997
Plein Air Invitational, Mountains to the Coast, Germanton Gallery, Germanton, NC Apr '06
Plein Air Invitational, Paint the Town, Alla Prima Fine Art, St. Pete, FL Apr '06
Solo exhibition, Lois Morgan  Edwards Memorial  Library , Marshville, NC  July '05
Solo Exhibition, Monroe Public Library, Monroe, NC May '05
Invitational Show, Things with Wings, Germanton Gallery, Germanton, NC May '05, annually since 1997
Plein Air Invitational, Mountains to the Coast, Germanton Gallery, Germanton, NC Apr '05
Plein Air Invitational, Paint the Town, Alla Prima Fine Art, St. Petersburg, FL Apr '05
National Juried Exhibition, American Impressionists Society, Nichols Taos Fine Art, Taos, NM Apr' 05
National Juried Exhibition, Palm Beach Community College Humanities Gallery, Lake Worth, FL Apr '05
Group Exhibition, Elements and Facades - The Group of Eight, Chamber of Commerce, Ocala, FL Feb '05
Invitational Exposition, Florida Wildlife and Plein Air Expo, Sarasota, FL  Jan '0520
Invitational Show, Southeast Invitational, Germanton Gallery, Germanton, NC  Dec '04 ,annually since 1995
Solo exhibition, Lois Morgan  Edwards Memorial  Library, Marshville, NC  July '04, Dec '0420
Group exhibition, Images of the Loop - The Group of Eight, Art League of Daytona Beach, FL  May '04
National Juried Art Exhibition, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Hilton Head, SC  May '04
Juried Art Market at Honey Horn, Coastal Discovery Museum,   Hilton Head, SC Apr '04, '03, '02
Juried exhibition, Artescape Naples, Gallery Victoria, Naples, FL  Mar '04
Invitational Exposition, Florida Wildlife and Plein Air Expo, Lakeland, FL  Jan '04  (annually since '95)
Invitational Miniature Show, Geoffrey Smith Galleries, Stuart, FL Dec '03
Invitational Miniature Show, Richard James Gallery, Charleston, SC  Dec '03
Solo exhibition, Marshville Public Library, Marshville, NC Jul '03, '02
Four person exhibition,  SPAA - Southern Plein Air Artists, Castle Can Rates, Santa Suzanna, Spain Aug '02
Solo exhibition, Mangroves Gallery, Marco Island, FL  Mar '97, Apr '96
Solo exhibition, Collectors' Gallery, Venice, FL  Nov '96, Nov '95, Nov '94
Two person show, Mary Erickson and Karen Hitt, Village Gallery, Venice, FL Nov '96
Solo exhibition,  Village Gallery, Sebring, FLOct '96
Invitational Show, Originals in Miniature,  Stevenson's Gallery,  Corvallis, OR  Jul '95
Invitational, Wonderful World of Warblers, One Touch of Nature Gallery, Chicago, IL May '95
Solo exhibition,  Venice Little Theatre, Venice FL Dec '04
Juried Competition, Florida Outdoors!  Panama City, FL Nov '94
National Audubon Convention, Fort Myers, FL Nov '94