Mary’s rocky relationship with art began in middle school, when she tried to paint a watercolor landscape. The manila paper pilled, the student paints failed her, and the image in her mind refused to appear on the page. The experience was so frustrating that she swore off watercolor—and all art classes—through high school.
Only weeks later, her art teacher offered her a four-year university scholarship to study art. Still convinced she had no talent and unaware that professional materials even existed, she declined. The offer was never repeated.
In her early twenties, Mary married into an art-minded family. As a young mother, she created crafts with her children and entered their work—and her own photography—into the county fair, thrilled each time they won blue ribbons. One day her husband encouraged her to try a watercolor class herself. With real paints and paper, something opened inside her. The images flowed easily, and she rediscovered a part of herself she’d never fully met.
Painting became her passion, even as her first marriage collapsed. As a single mother, she qualified for a program that funded a full B.A. in Computer Graphics at a women’s college. At 34, she graduated with honors, cherishing the creative freedom of those studio years.
Life continued to interrupt art. Her second husband, practical and analytical, struggled to understand her artistic heart. Though she experimented with oils and watercolors, the supplies eventually ended up in boxes in the garage—waiting for “Someday.”
After a second divorce, she moved to Oro Valley. Covid finally nudged her back to art through an online mentoring program. She found her voice again, this time through photography of the Sonoran Desert, launching her Captured Moments calendar series.
Art therapy deepened her commitment. She set up a small home studio, produced steadily, and was accepted into two galleries.
In 2024, she married Darrel. When he finally exclaimed, “I get you—you're an artist!” Mary knew she had found the right partner—and her true calling.
Recently we chatted with Mary Davis:
Q: How do you decide on the themes or subjects of your pieces?
A: Photography: How can I use the camera lens to frame an ordinary object and give it that "something special" feeling?
Painting: I like to bring a "let's play with color" curiosity to my painting.
Sometimes I use my feelings to pick the first color and shape.
When painting from reference photos, I choose the one that looks like it would be easy to complete, and that the surface fits a standard-size frame. Why make it harder on myself than it has to be?
Q: Is there a particular message you aim to convey?
A: My wish is that my photography would bring refreshment to a tired spirit.
Also, that my paintings would lift a person's spirits and provoke the viewer's curiosity:
Is there a deeper meaning in this painting?
What am I really seeing here?
Q: What are your future goals with your work?
A: Achieve greater confidence in framing. Especially my rainbow photo, I just can't find the right way to frame that panoramic.
Get back to painting consistently in a class. I am a social painter; some people go to the bar, I need to go to art class.
Get back to hiking and photographing the mountains. I had a couple of close calls with rattlers that elicited the "never @!^$# again" exclamation, yet the mountains are calling me back.
Eventually, I would like to be in a show with both my paintings and photographs in one place.
Oh, and sell something again!
Q: How do you stay motivated and find inspiration, especially during creative blocks?
A: Recently, I received an expressive arts life coaching certification (my day job). This uses any medium (paint, collage, graphic design apps, poetry, or even Lego) to:
*Tap into a person's inner wisdom.
*Express what we do not have words to express.
*Problem-solve when perhaps we don't even know the question.
This frees my mind, calms my spirit, and my creativity and enthusiasm return. Frequently, I receive deep insight. It is truly amazing!
Q: What is the greatest reward of your work?
A: Doing commission work is deeply rewarding.
One client asked me to paint a watercolor of Monument Valley in honor of scattering her mother's ashes there. Having never been to Monument Valley, I researched images online and did the pencil lines for a simple composition, then I painted it. (Remember, Keep It Simple Silly!). When I delivered the painting, the client was OVERJOYED!
She said I had captured what was in her heart and the essence of Monument Valley.
It was my first commission, believe me, I was as surprised as she was.
Who knew?!
Q: How long have you been a SAAG member, and how has your membership benefited you?
A: This is my second year with SAAG. This year, Howard Paley took time to mentor me. He was very generous in offering his photography success tips. We brought my neighbor's son to the September Community Art Fest, and we really enjoyed it.
At the Oro Valley monthly meetups are wonderful. I can:
*Meet fellow creatives in my immediate area and build friendships.
*Receive much-appreciated constructive feedback on my current project.
*Get encouragement to move to my next level of mastery as an artist who is balancing work,
relationships, and creativity.
Q: Any final thoughts you would like to share with our readers?
A: My next book to read is “The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles” by Steven Pressfield.
I really look forward to SAAG's new location and becoming more involved in the months ahead.
To My Fellow Creatives: Stay encouraged!
Keep experimenting.
You can find Mary online at:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/okcoachme
Websites: www.MaryDavisArt.com www.OkCoachMe.com
Instagram: @Coachmaryd
