Out of the Comaleros

Mary Ann was a native Texan who was born and grew up in Bryan/College Station. She received her BFA and MA degrees in studio art at Sam Houston State University. Her mother and grandmother taught her the sewing basics starting at the age of 5.

In 2006, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and given a year to live. She attended the International Quilt Festival in Houston and gained focus on the next year. The annual special exhibit, Tactile Architecture, gave her the momentum she needed to make a quilt of her grandfather's birthplace. The quilt became her first art quilt entry and the springboard for the next 15 years. Through the years she explored many different art media, incorporating textiles into her work. Rediscovering working in cloth, she utilized those early sewing skills; coupled with the visual art techniques, she gained her freedom to focus on studio quilts.

In her textile pathways, Mary Ann discovered a variety of methods and techniques to explore that kept her excited about the artform. Learning to dye, geliprint, bead, and incorporate pencil drawing onto cloth have been a few of the techniques she endeavored. The hope is that she will inspire others to explore textiles as an artform and method of relaxation.

Mary Ann passed away on April 8, 2022. This book is now part of her artistic legacy.