Mary Worsley is a self-taught artist with no formal education in art.  What began as a hobby after her youngest son graduated from high school and left for college became her passion. She picked up a book titled “Learn How to Draw”, was hooked and  never looked back.

After twenty years into her art adventure, she has learned a lot about creating art.  She feels that with practice, anyone can learn to draw.  Along the way, Mary discovered she loved to draw faces. Although she has dabbled in many mediums including oil, acrylics, gouache, watercolor and colored pencil, she feels more comfortable with a pencil in her hand. Her favorite mediums include graphite, charcoal and scratchboard.  She will tell you “I am not a landscape artist or a still life artist.  I am first and foremost a portrait artist.  I love to draw portraits of faces, whether wild animals, pets, or people.  I want my drawings to have life and expression.”

Mary has been a member of the Lakeland Arts Association since 2008 and is also a member of the Ridge Art Association. Her award-winning work is exhibited regularly with both organizations and annually in the East Hillsborough Art Guild’s Strawberry Festival Fine Art Show.

Often Mary hears people say that they wish they were talented enough to draw or paint.  Her encouragement to all who want to create art is to “pick up a pencil or paintbrush…and begin. Take a class or purchase an instructional book.  Some people are truly blessed at birth with artistic talent, but with a love of art, determination, passion, and a willingness to put yourself out there; you can become an artist too.”