“When I write, I find myself.

When I paint, I lose myself.”

– Mary Kolada Scott

I wanted to be an artist since I can remember. My kindergarten teacher called me her “little artist,” and I envisioned my paintings hanging on walls when I grew up.

I continued to draw and paint throughout childhood. I planned to study art but was sidetracked when a junior high school art class was full. A guidance counselor enrolled me in creative writing instead. The teacher got my first poem published, and continued successes led me to pursue the language arts for decades, putting the visual arts on hold.

In the early 2000s, I returned to my original fascination with drawing and painting and now combine my skills as both writer and artist. Through poetry and painting, I try to magnify the ordinary and capture everyday images that may be overlooked. I’m drawn to simple things: persimmons in a blue ceramic bowl or the charming, small houses that dot this vicinity. Our lives are enriched by the intimate gestures and small joys that are found in daily living. My work celebrates these moments of grace.

I work primarily in acrylic and mixed media. Recently, I’ve turned to abstracts as visual poetry to express emotions. Often I collage images, words, phrases, or lines from poems I’ve written onto the canvas.

When people tell me that seeing my work makes them happy, it’s the ultimate reward.