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Mary Pettis
  • Education
    • 2009 10 week Écorché (Human Anatomy) Sculpture Course with James Shoop, St. Croix Falls, WI
    • 2008 Large Group Figure Composition, Juried 10-day Masterclass, Jove Wang, Pasedena, CA
    • 2008 Advanced Color Theory Workshop, Kauai, HI with Camille Przewodek (lineage of Henry Hensche/ Charles Webster Hawthorn, Cape Cod School)
    • Summer 2008 Sculpture Anatomy of the Head with James Shoop, St. Croix Falls, Wi
    • 2006 Portrait Workshop (scholarship) with master artist, Jove Wang, Scottsdale Artists School, Scottsdale, AZ
    • 2003, 2005 Plein Air Workshops with master painter and author, Kevin MacPherson, Maui, HI and Provence, France
    • 1995-2001 Studied plein-air and Alla Prima painting with Zhang Wen Xin, Jim Wilcox, and Robert Duncan in Jackson, WY; Joe Paquet, St. Paul, MN and Stapleton Kearns, Rockport, MA.
    • 1979 Studied composition and copperplate etching with C. Daniel Graves (founder and director of the Florence Academy of the Arts, Florence, Italy).
    • 1974-1977 Full time student apprentice with Richard Lack, Atelier Lack, Minneapolis, MN.
    • 1975 BA Degrees - Art Major, Humanities Major, French Minor, College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, MN.
    • 1974 Mankato State College, Mankato, MN - courses in abstract art and composition.
    • 1974-1975 Studied with Hungarian artist Bela Petheo, St. John's University, Collegeville, MN


  • Books and Publications
  • 2008 Documented in a full-chapter feature in the book Polk County Places by Buz Swerkstrom, Full court Press, Atlas, WI 2008
  • Spring 2008 Featured Artist, online Publication createbetterpaintings.com, "Spring Painting Tips"
  • June 2005 Featured Artist, Modern Masters section in "Plein Air Magazine"
  • Fall 2003 American Artist Magazine, NAPPAP News
  • 2001 Cover artist "Saving the River" by Helen McCann White and James Taylor Dunn, ©2001, ISBN: 0-9617292-1-X
  • Newspaper Articles and spotlights include The Milwaukee Journal, The St. Paul Pioneer Press, The Superior Evening Telegram, The Eau Claire Leader/Telegram, Maui News, The Osceola Sun, The Country Messenger, and others.

  • Major Commissions and Achievements 
    • 2000 Commissioned to paint the original for the Wisconsin State Park System's Centennial Commemoration Print.
    • 1996-1998 Owner and director of Mary Pettis Galleries, studio school and gallery in Taylors Falls, MN.
    • 1996 Commissioned by the Swedish Jubilee Committee to do the official print for the 150 year anniversary of the mass emigration from Sweden to the United States - Presented personally to the King and Queen of Sweden.
    • 1980-2000 Commissioned by various publishers (including Northern Promotions in Aitkin, MN) to produce paintings for reproduction, including 24 signed, limited edition prints, 10 open edition, 6 porcelain plates, and 30 original copperplate etchings.
    • 1991-1993 Co-owner of Pettis & Wirkkula Arts studio gallery, Osceola, WI.

  • Major Collections
    • Permanent Collection - Minneapolis Institute of Fine Arts, Minneapolis, MN
    • Permanent Collection - Emigrant Institute, Vaxjo, Sweden
    • U.S. Senate Offices - Washington D.C.
    • Executive Residence Library - State of Wisconsin - Madison, WI
    • Cargill Corporation Collection, MN
    • Evergreen Hospital, Kirkland, WA, Entrance Lobby  and Chapel
    • Carl Pohlad Collection, MN
    • Osceola Medical Center, Major Collection of 17 originals - Osceola, WI
    • Private Quarters of the Royal Residence - Stockholm, Sweden
    • Horst Rechalbacher - founder of Aveda, Osceola, WI

  • Selected Exhibitions  

    • October 1-10, 2009 "Palais des Nations" Exhibition, United Nations Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland (10 artists)
    • February, 2009 4th Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational, Maui, HI
    • November, 2008 17th Annual Invitational Small Works Show, Howard/Mandville Gallery, Kirkland, WA
    • September, 2008 "Sharing the Colors of Tuscany", Conversation Pieces Gallery, St. Croix Falls, WI
    • February, 2008 3rd Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational, Maui, HI
    • January, 2008 Solo Exhibition, "Landscapes - Looking Deeper", Art Center of St. Peter, MN 
    • April, 2007 Scottsdale Artists' School Beaux Arts Auction, Scottsdale, AZ
    • February, 2007 2nd Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational, Maui, HI Irvine Museum Award of Excellence winner
    • March, 2007 "Brushes with Italy" Exhibition, Broome Street Gallery, New York, NY
    • September, 2006 ARTISTS FOR THE NEW CENTURY invitational exhibition in Bennington, Vermont
    • June, 2006 The Society of Master Impressionists Inaugural National Juried Exhibition, Amarillo, TX
    • May, 2006 Love of the Land 2nd Annual Major Landscape Exhibition, Kirkland, WA
    • February, 2006 Maui Plein Air Invitational Irvine Museum Award of Excellence winner
    • November, 2005 15th Annual Invitational Miniature Show, Kirkland, WA
    • 2005 Solo Exhibition "Coming to Light" - 52 paintings, Up North Fine Art, Lindstrom, MN
    • June, 2005 The Love of the Land exhibition at Kirkland, WA
    • 2004, Best and Brightest Art Show, Scottsdale, AZ P.A.P.A. Marlin Linville Memorial Award winner
    • 2004, 3rd Annual Rocky Mountain Plein Air painters, Estes Park, CO
    • 2004, Two-person Chicago Exhibition, Hilligoss Galleries, Chicago, IL
    • 2004, Desert Plein Air Invitational, La Quinta, CA
    • 2004, La Petite XI Exhibition, Alder Gallery, Coburg, OR
    • 2004, California Art Club, Women's City Club, Fall Exhibition, Pasadena, CA
    • 2004 Oil Painters of America 13th National Exhibition, Howard Mandville Gallery, Kirkland, WA
    • 2004, Two-person Chicago Exhibition, The Studios at Long Grove, Long Grove, IL
    • April, 2004 Plein Air Invitational at Wilmington, NC Best of Show winner
    • 2003, Solo Exhibition, "Homecoming", 31 paintings, Up North Fine Art, Lindstrom, MN
    • 2003 Oil Painters of America Midwest Regional Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Chicago, IL OPA Award of Excellence winner
    • 2003 American Artists Professional League's 75th Grand National Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in N.Y.C. Gardin Sawyer Memorial Award winner
    • 2003 National Academy of Professional Plein Air Painters  NY Paintout, NYC, NY Best of Show winner
    • 2003 National Academy of Professional Plein Air Painters  NY Paintout, NYC, NY  Artists' Choice winner
    • December, 2003 Oil Painters of America Midwest Regional, Chicago, IL
    • November, 2003 American Artists Professional League 75th Grand National, New York City, NY
    • November 2001 - Salmagundi Club, NY - American Artists Professional League 73rd Grand National Exhibition
    • October 2001 - National Arts Club, NY - Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club 105th Annual Exhibition
    • September 2001  - Arts for the Parks Top 100 - Jackson, WY
    • Summer 1995 (2 person) - New Masters Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
    • 1991-1993 - ongoing 3 artist gallery - Pettis and Wirkkula Arts, Osceola, WI
    • 1984 - 1985 (3 person) - Elayne Galleries, three events, St. Louis Park, MN
    • 1977 - 1979 - Atelier Lack, Minneapolis, MN

  • Teaching
  • November 2009 (scheduled) Plein Air Painters of Hawaii  5-day Plein Air Workshop, Maui, HI
  • February 2009   Plein Air Painters of Hawaii  5-day Workshop, Maui, HI
  • May 2008  France Workshop, Dordogne Region, Southwest France
  • October 2008   Venice Workshop, Venice, Italy
  • December 2007 - present (2009) -  Director and Mentor of a Monthly Advanced Concepts Artists Group, Home Studio, Taylors Falls, MN
  • August 2007  3-day workshop and Evening Public Lecture in Devil's Lake, ND in conjunction with the celebrated North Dakota Chautauqua.
  • May 2007   Tuscany Workshop, Tuscany, Italy
  • 2006-2008   Occasional Regional Lectures in Minnesota on Art and the Creative Spirit
  • Summers 2001-2008  St. Croix Scenic Riverway Minnesota Plein Air  Annual 5-day Workshop, Taylors Falls, MN
  • May 2006   Tuscany Workshop, Vagliagli, Italy
  • 1990-2001 Taught workshops, mentored student artists and gave presentations at schools and area youth agencies in Polk and Chisago Counties, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
  • 1986-1988 Founder, director, instructor - Atelier Pettis Wirkkula, Taylors Falls, Minnesota.
  • Additional
In September 2008 Mary was among a small, select group who traveled with Chinese American  Artist Jove Wang  on an expedition into the back country and far reaches of China to research and document the centuries -old rural way of life. This group  will embark on a technical museum trip to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan (home of Nicolai Fechin), Russia in March and April, 2009. This course of study will culminate in a 10-person exhibition on China at the United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland in October, 2009.