Mary Vernon’s newest exhibit opened at the Grace Museum in Abilene earlier this month and will be available for viewing until early January.
In May, Mary Vernon concludes her long career at SMU. She is retiring as an art professor, a master of painting, drawing and color theory education at Meadows School of the Arts. She’s been teaching here for 50 years.
On September 15, her new exhibit titled “Painting is Drawing” opened at the Grace Museum in Abilene, where it will be on view until January 6. The exhibit features her interpretations of landscapes and still lifes, often marked by soft lines and blended colors in media including oil and graphite. The museum will host a reception with the artist on October 7.
The museum also captured Vernon’s installation on video to mark the exhibit’s opening.
About Mary Vernon
Mary Vernon has contributed to the art community since her college years. Born in New Mexico, Vernon attended the University of California, Berkeley for her undergraduate degree and the University of New Mexico for an M.A. in art and art history. Her notable accomplishments include receiving SMU’s Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor Award and being named a Fellow of the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Cultures. She was also selected as a member of the National Council of Arts Administrators board of directors, Texas Biennial advisory board and the Dallas Museum of Art board of trustees.
Vernon’s work is recognized on both a national and international level. Her artwork has been featured in collections for The Belo Foundation, The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Meadows Museum, the United States Department of State (U.S. Embassy, N’Djamena, Chad), Dallas Country Club, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center: William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital and Ebby Halliday Realtors. In addition, Vernon’s creations are popular among many private collectors. Internationally, Vernon has shown her work in France, Hungary, Chile and Kazakhstan.
The Grace Museum excitedly revealed Mary Vernon’s newest exhibit titled “Painting is Drawing” earlier this month. They also featured her work in 2015 in the exhibition “Menagerie: Art and the Animal Kingdom.”
In addition, Vernon’s work is currently being shown in a solo exhibit at the Valley House Gallery and Sculpture Garden in Dallas through October 28; a gallery talk by the artist is scheduled on Saturday, October 14 at 11 a.m.
