Edith J. Carrier Arboretum Welcomes
Marydean Draws
Mary Hairston is a local Rockingham County artist and has lived in the area for 18 years. She is a small business owner, blogger, and mother of three busy children. She works from her home studio just outside Harrisonburg with her three cats and guinea pig.
Although she grew up all over the world as a Navy kid, she loves calling the Valley home.
She has owned her art business, Marydean Draws, since 2015. She started her business to pass on the encouragement she finds in nature, her faith, and her friends.
She loves to watch her daughters play volleyball and her son do karate, read mysteries, thrift store shop, take pictures of her valley home, and work part-time at The Lady Jane in Harrisonburg.
Artist Statement
Most days, I wake up and skim the news headlines. Dread, fear, and alarm at my fingertips. I close my eyes and see a to-do list. The pressing and stubborn urgency is hard to shake.
But the birds and forest creatures I draw wake up to delight, thrilled at the sun’s return and early worms and friendly banter. Unbothered. The flowers bloom and wither in season, unworried about tomorrow.
What would I learn from them if I listened? What weights could I lay aside, if just for a moment?
It was a delight to paint this series. I always enjoy layering mediums in experimental ways. In these pieces, you’ll see:
- watercolor
- oil and chalk pastels
- pencil
- vintage gardening encyclopedia pages
- antique music book pages
Why ALL these? I love the effect of layering, of building with some layers that are flat, others textured. Chalky pastels on loose watercolor shapes. Chunky oil pastels cut with thick, sharp pencil lines.
I hope you can find a moment of delight and maybe even holiness and hope in these pieces!
Past Exhibitions
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2025 Jan - Feb | Marydean Draws 2024 Jan - Feb | Erin Harrigan Mar - Apr | Kate Duffy May - Jun | Jane Goodman July - Aug | Theresa Markiw Sept - Oct | Caitlin Garvey Nov - Dec | Laura Thompson 2023 Mar - Apr | Janet Pearlman May - Jun | Judith Lochbrunner Jul - Aug | Paul Cook Sept-Oct | Mia Ackerson & Janet Lee Nov-Dec | Sandra Parks 2022 Mar - Apr | Marydean Hairston Marydean Draws May - June | Laura-Paige Keller LPM Pottery July - Aug | Peg Sheridan Sep - Oct | Rocktown Urban Wood Nov - Dec | Kary Haun
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2021 Oct - Dec | Elaine Hurst 2020 Mar - Apr | Frances Coates 2019 Mar - Apr | Jackie Labovitz May - June | Tony DiStefano July - Aug | Ann Currie & Christine Andreae Sept - Oct | Andrea Finch Nov - Dec | Lotta Helleberg 2018 Mar - Apr | Kelli Hertzler May - June | Carol Kirkham Martin July - Aug | Dabney Kirchman Sept - Oct | Celia Culver Rutt Nov - Dec | Lynn Whitmore |
Grounds: Free to the public
Dawn to dusk | 365 days a year
Frances Plecker Education Center:
M-F | 8 AM - 4 PM
