Mary Iverson lives and works in Seattle, Washington. Her paintings explore the balance between the natural world and industrial activities, inspiring conversations about the causes and consequences of climate change. Her work has been featured on Juxtapoz Magazine, Foreign Policy Magazine, Huffington Post, and The Boston Review. She works with galleries in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Germany, Paris, and Amsterdam. Mary teaches visual art at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Washington, where she is a tenured faculty member.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I get my inspiration from hiking in the mountains, visiting National Parks, and looking at luminous landscape pantings from the 1800’s.
Which is the reletioship and influence beetween your cultural backgorund (country, studies, etc.) and your artworks?
My family did a lot of hiking, camping, and skiing when I was growing up. Through spending time in the mountains, I developed a love of nature and the desire to protect it. I hope that my work inspires people to think about the effects of human industry on the environment.
What are you much focused in?
My work focuses on themes of environmental protection and our place in the changing world.
Have you encountered any difficulties when you first started your art/freelance career?
Money comes and goes when you freelance, so I also teach art at a community college, which provides a steady income for me. The financial security I get from teaching helps me feel free to follow my heart in what I paint, instead of focusing on what sells.
Over these years, what is the most important thing you have learnt from your profession?
Showing my work and painting murals has revealed to me that the most important thing in art is to find my personal voice and create the paintings that are in my heart and soul.
Do you think that a creative job is just creativity or it’s discipline too?
3/4 creativity, 1/4 discipline
Are you currently work on new projects?
Currently I am working on some big mural projects; for Starbucks, Facebook, and another big tech company in Seattle. I also have a solo show coming up in October at Treason Gallery in Seattle.
“I hope that my work inspires people to think about the effects of human industry on the environment“
“The most important thing in art is
to find my personal voice and
create the paintings
that are in my heart and soul“
Artist Website > maryiverson.com
Instagram > @themaryiverson
Facebook > themaryiverson
Twitter > @themaryi