Based in Columbia, South Carolina, Mary Robinson is a mixed-media Artist whose current exhibition, “After Before,” is inspired by the continual flux of life. Her prints and works on paper embody a sense of movement, in body, mind, and material. Through color, shape, form, and texture, the compositions reflect Mary’s experience of inhabiting both the natural and human-made worlds, sometimes in rhythm, sometimes at odds.
“For both creative flow and ecological conservation, I use repurposed materials and forms,” says Mary. “Whether painting, printmaking, or collaging, I work with remnants that have meaningful links to the past. Starting a work with a repurposed scrap of paper or a stencil from a previous series gives me opportunities for self-imposed limitations, material appreciation, and creative springboards. Allowing materials and forms to flow from one work to another reflects both the observed fluidity of life and a desire and optimism to transform and to reinvent.”
Mary earned an MFA in Printmaking from Indiana University Bloomington, an MA in Art History from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a BFA in Studio Art from the University of Colorado Boulder. From 2002 to 2024, she taught at the School of Visual Art and Design at the University of South Carolina, where she served as professor and head of the printmaking program before retiring.
Mary’s work is represented in numerous collections, including the Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, South Carolina; the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway; the Frans Masereel Centrum, Kasterlee, Belgium; Hong Kong Open Printshop; Cornell University; Georgia State University; and Savannah College of Art and Design.
"In Time 3," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"In Time 6," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"In Time 13," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"In Time 8," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"In Time 1," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"In Time 11," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"In Time 10," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"In Time 14," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"In Time 12," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"In Time 4 (Again)" monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"In Time 9," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"In Time 8," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"Open to Breathe," acrylic on paper, 48 by 40 inches
"After Before," acrylic on paper, 48 by 40 inches
"Restructure," mixed media collage on paper, 38 by 42 inches
"Hold Together 2," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 14.5 inches framed
"Hold Together," monotype on paper, 16.5 by 13.5 inches framed
Mary Robinson is a mixed-media artist based in Columbia, SC. She dyes, paints, prints, and pieces together handmade paper and repurposed fabric as a means of self-imposed limitation. The colors, shapes, forms and textures reflect observed cycles and patterns in nature, while the process of repurposing and recomposing materials echoes Nature’s mode of regeneration and zero waste. Originally from Chattanooga, TN, Robinson earned a BFA in studio art from the University of Colorado-Boulder, an MA in art history from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and an MFA in printmaking from Indiana University-Bloomington. Robinson worked at the School of Visual Art and Design at the University of South Carolina-Columbia from 2002 to 2024, before retiring from her position as professor and head of the printmaking program.
Robinson’s work is in several collections including the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC; the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway; the Frans Masereel Centrum in Kasterlee, Belgium; the Hong Kong Open Printshop; Cornell University; Georgia State University; and Savannah College of Art and Design. Her work has been in 25 solo and two-person exhibitions, including at the Mike Brown Contemporary Art Gallery; the Morris Graves Museum of Art; and the Art Center of Western Colorado. Her work has also been in over 100 group shows, including at the Columbia Museum of Art; the 701 Center for Contemporary Art; the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art; the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art; the Wiregrass Art Museum; and the Bristol Art Museum.
AVAILABLE WORKS