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Inn her own words

"When people refer to my work as 'paintings,' I tell them that they are drawings, mixed-media drawings.""

Mary Anderson studied at Chouinard and Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles. She credits her mastery of drawing to the teaching of Joe Magnaini and the late Charles White.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she moved to Los Angeles and began her art study with a high school scholarship to Chouinard Art Institute. A full time scholarship to Otis Art Institute followed Pasadena City College. In the 60's, the figure drawing department at Otis, under Joe Magnaini and Herb Jepson, was very strong. Students worked from life standing at huge easels. The drawing paper was as big as could be found and images ere life size, which is why the artist is still most comfortable drawing standing up in front of a big piece of paper.

Ms. Anderson graduated from California State College at Los Angeles and began a teaching career in junior high, opportunity, and continuation schools that spanned twenty four years. During that time, she drew only on summer vacations and sabbatical leaves. In the fall 1986, she too a leave from teaching, came to Cambria, and exhibited her drawings for the first time. The drawings sold immediately and a second career began.