Mary Kennington Watson: A Quiet Plac

Mary Kennington Watson, The Virgin, 2022, Oil on Canvas, 20 x 16 inches.

"The cemetery is an open space among the ruins, covered in winter with violets and daisies. It might make one in love with death, to think that one should be buried in so sweet a place." — Percy Bysshe Shelley

Mary Kennington Watson began her artistic journey at the School of Visual Arts in 1972, where she studied painting and graphic design. After graduating, Watson worked as a paste-up artist and freelance illustrator. She became the graphic designer at Howell Living History Farm in 1982 after meeting her husband, Pete, a living history farmer.

Watson completed her first children's book, The Market Lady and the Mango Tree, after taking an influential class with illustrator Bruce Degen. This led to her starting Shenanigan Books, which published over 25 children's books and showcased work by new authors and illustrators. After making the difficult decision to close her company, she returned to the easel. Now, she spends her days painting the quiet and timeless atmosphere of places lost to time.