Mary E. Decker was born and raised in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. There she developed a love of Nature and a familiarity with plants that is reflected in her paintings. A Master Gardener and flower enthusiast, flowers are frequently subjects of her art. It is the beauty of the flower, its perfection–even in its imperfection–that she attempts to convey in her paintings.

Mary moved to WNC from Maryland where she worked for the federal government. A country girl at heart, Mary yearned to return to the mountains. The beauty of the Smoky Mountains, the art community in the area, and the friendly people, coupled with the opportunity to explore a new area of the country, convinced her that this was a place she could call home.

Mary is primarily a watercolorist. She finds that watercolor allows her to replicate the subtle color variations and transitions found in Nature. The seeming ease with which watercolor adapts to the vagaries of Nature leads Mary to believe that “God Herself is a watercolor artist.”

Although much of her work is done in watercolor, Mary allows the art itself to guide her choice of medium. It may be oil, or acrylic, or fibers, beads or handmade paper.. She works in 3-D as well as 2-D. Besides wall art, Mary creates free-standing art. She often uses gourds as her canvas where they rise from their earthy beginnings to be elevated to the level of Fine Art.

Contact Mary at eblucru@yahoo.com.