Mary Chandler

Member since 2024

At the age of seven, Mary was immediately enchanted by painting of Monet's water lilies at an Impressionist exhibit at Chicago's Art Institute. The intuitive feeling to create her destiny as an artist was significant.

Mary began an education in the arts focusing on illustration, with training in traditional realism. She studied with portrait artist Deane Keller, trompe-l'œil artist Ken Davies, painter Charles Sovek, and book illustrator Leonard Fisher. Artists who have influenced her vision along the way have been Winslow Homer, the Wyeths, Edward Hopper, and John Singer Sargent. Mary worked as an Illustrator/ Art Director in educational publishing for 15 years while balancing a career in painting. She recently retired from the publishing world to pursue her love of painting full-time and was subsequently awarded a commission, through Nantucket Island Resorts, to create a series of 9 paintings for the White Elephant Hotel's interior renovation in 2022.

Her paintings of coastal New England include Maine, Cape Ann, Nantucket, and her home state of Connecticut, and are inspired by the graphic qualities of historic architecture, complemented by the rich textural elements of the landscape. By creating the feeling of bright coastal light, shadow, and color she brings atmosphere and depth into her paintings. Her work has been described as instilling a sense of calm and reflection, leading the viewer into the scene to wander down a quiet road or path, perhaps discovering a quintessential form of New England architecture along the way.

A Signature Member of New England Watercolor Society, Mary is also Signature Artist with the Copley Society of Art where she serves on the Art Selection Committee. As a member of the Artist Association of Nantucket, with one of her paintings in AAN's permanent collection, she has received awards for her plein air paintings. She became a juried member of the Rockport Art Association & Museum in 2024 and has exhibited her work in RAA&M's National. Mary has also exhibited at the Salmagundi Club as a member of the American Artist Professional League as well as the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club where she has won awards for her watercolor paintings. Her paintings have been included both at the Guild of Boston Artists and North Shore Art Association Regionals. With her work featured in the Plein Air Salon competitions, she was awarded Best Floral and received an Honorable Mention for Buildings, as well as a finalist two years in a row in Artist Magazine's Splash '25 and '26 Best of Watercolor competition.

All images ©Mary Chandler