Artist Info
Mary Shannon Will
Mary Shannon Will’s art practice is varied and diverse, working in painting, printmaking, and ceramics. She explores and meditates on patterns, layering, and repetition, and combines computer-generated imagery with hand applied paint.
Will uses various invented but strict systems in her painting methodology. One such system involves selecting colours based on all the letters in a friend’s name. Once the name is selected, a meticulous strategy is set up in terms of how the paint is to be applied and from which side of the paper each colour will start. While her work derives from a strict set of conditions, the end result is playful and rich with tactile surfaces.
Will attended the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque (1970-71) and the University of Iowa, in Iowa City (1964-1967). She has taught at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design, and at Tuscarora Pottery in Tuscarora, Nevada. She has had numerous solo and group exhibitions at Paul Kuhn Gallery in Calgary and Miriam Shiell Fine Art in Toronto; and at Stride Gallery, the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, the Glenbow Museum, and in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Today, the artist divides her life and work between Calgary, Alberta and New Mexico.
