Mary's Biography
Mary Tuomi is a watercolor artist living Northern Minnesota. Mary paints soft watercolors depicting the many forms of nature. From children playing and rivers running to frogs basking in the sun on tomato leaves. Thus giving the name of her displays, "Simply Nature". Mary's secluded home overlooking the Gull River brings her inspiration and serenity,and her husband of 19 years and 4 growing children give her the encouragement and support she needs to paint such beautiful pieces.
Mary's career as an artist unknowingly started when she won a drawing contest of an orange in grade school. Not realizing what her future held, Mary went through life drawing and sketching and tossing them aside. Many years later after only 12 years of marriage, 4 babies an hectic house, Mary realized there was something that needed to come out again.
After many pencil sketches of the kids she knew she needed to add color to their faces, so she signed up for watercolor classes at the local art store. a couple weeks into the lessons Mary knew she needed to move faster. She had found her passion and wanted to explore on her own. After filling her studio with art books and magazines and experimenting nightly (when the kids were sleeping) she taught herself the techniques she needed to achieve her individual styles. Her first year of painting produced over 70 watercolors. Before the first year was over she was asked to paint an original for the National Ruffed Grouse Association annual banquet in Michigan.
To this day Mary feels you can never stop learning and changing your techniques. "My goal is to never settle into just one style. When someone looks at one of my pieces I want them to have to look twice to
see who the artist is. I don't want to stop learning and changing, that is what makes creating exciting! Not painting the same scene or image over and over because it is a good seller. I have to like what I have created, therefore if someone commissions me to a painting it may take me 2 days or 4 months to finish it. I won't paint it until I feel it."
Mary's career as an artist unknowingly started when she won a drawing contest of an orange in grade school. Not realizing what her future held, Mary went through life drawing and sketching and tossing them aside. Many years later after only 12 years of marriage, 4 babies an hectic house, Mary realized there was something that needed to come out again.
After many pencil sketches of the kids she knew she needed to add color to their faces, so she signed up for watercolor classes at the local art store. a couple weeks into the lessons Mary knew she needed to move faster. She had found her passion and wanted to explore on her own. After filling her studio with art books and magazines and experimenting nightly (when the kids were sleeping) she taught herself the techniques she needed to achieve her individual styles. Her first year of painting produced over 70 watercolors. Before the first year was over she was asked to paint an original for the National Ruffed Grouse Association annual banquet in Michigan.
To this day Mary feels you can never stop learning and changing your techniques. "My goal is to never settle into just one style. When someone looks at one of my pieces I want them to have to look twice to
see who the artist is. I don't want to stop learning and changing, that is what makes creating exciting! Not painting the same scene or image over and over because it is a good seller. I have to like what I have created, therefore if someone commissions me to a painting it may take me 2 days or 4 months to finish it. I won't paint it until I feel it."
Please look through Mary's photo album!
