BIOGRAPHY
Mary Macey Butler is a fine art photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She grew up in Marin County, California, and graduated from the University of Colorado. She later returned to college to study Occupational Therapy and worked in San Francisco for a number of years. At the same time she began to concentrate on photography, showing her work at galleries and art centers throughout the Bay Area. Mary continues to develop her skills and portfolio through workshops and travel. She has photographed in the USA, Canada, South Africa, Namibia, New Zealand, Cuba, Morocco, Europe, and various locations in Mexico. She has studied with both American and Canadian photographers. Mary’s work has been exhibited at the Black Box Gallery in Portland, Oregon, Still Point Arts Gallery and Arts Quarterly in Brunswick, Maine, the Photo Place Art Gallery in Vermont, the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto, CA, the Riverfront Art Gallery in Petaluma, CA, and the Center for Photographic Art in Carmel, CA. Her local shows include those at Image Flow (Mill Valley), Town Hall (Mill Valley), the Marin Civic Center (San Rafael), Art Works Downtown (San Rafael), and the Gallery at Smith Ranch (San Rafael). Mary has received numerous awards, including the “Exhibitor of the Year” award at the Marin County Fair. ARTIST'S STATEMENT
My interests range from nature to the abstract and I am especially attracted to impressionistic interpretations, whether they be of trees or architecture. I am interested in graphic order, minimalism and images with mystery. I like to pursue subjects in depth, scenes that promote thoughts, feelings, or an impression and when possible, I frequently return to the same place many times. I try to simplify, to find the essence. I usually use a tripod, as I can ‘see better’ when the scene is stabilized. I care about sharpness when sharpness is required, but I also like intentionally moving the camera to obtain a creative impression of the subject. Many photographers have influenced me. Freeman Patterson of New Brunswick, Canada has been an important influence throughout my career. He is a master of the art of seeing and I have been drawn to his photography, both visually and emotionally. I learned a lot about motion photography from Richard Martin of Kingston, Canada, who helped me gain the freedom to ‘play’ with my camera, along with Andre Gallant, another Canadian, who emboldened me to experiment and push the limits of creativity. My intention is for viewers to appreciate the whole composition, but especially the quiet places in my work. |
Mary Macey Butler has a wonderful way of capturing atmosphere, mood, and emotion in her images. With a keen visual sensitivity, her images are evocative and inspiring. Moving beyond the literal, Mary captures the essence of her subject with an interpretive approach to image making." |
RESUME
Solo Exhibitions
- 2022 "Nature's Designs," Mill Valley City Hall, Mill Valley, CA
- 2021 "Nature's Designs," Featured Artist, February Virtual Art Walk, Mill Valley Arts Commission, Mill Valley, CA
- 2020 Featured Artist, Still Point Arts Quarterly, Brunswick, ME
- 2019 "Nature’s Designs," Smith Ranch Art Exhibition, San Rafael, CA
- 2014 "Oaxaca and Cuba," Brewer Phillips Design, San Rafael, CA
- 2013 "Oaxaca and Cuba," Founders Gallery, Art Works Downtown, San Rafael, CA
- 2012 Guest Artist, Riverfront Art Gallery, Petaluma, CA
- 2012 "Cuba," Lobby Gallery, "142 Throckmorton Theatre". Mill Valley, CA
- 2011 Guest Artist, "Early Fall Show", Riverfront Art Gallery, Petaluma, CA - Westamerica Bank, Sausalito, CA
- 2010 "Color and Light," Brewer Phillips Design, San Rafael, CA
Group Exhibitions
- 2022 "Out of the Darkness, Into the Light: Through the Eyes of the Photographer," Bartolini Gallery, San Rafael, CA
- 2022 "Quiet Landscape," Juried by Jacob and Alissa Hessler, PhotoPlace Gallery. Middlebury, VT
- 2021-22 "Ruins," National Juried Exhibition, Still Point Arts Gallery and Quarterly (Winter), Brunswick, ME
- 2021 "In Celebration of Trees," PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT
- 2020 "Light," Juried Exhibition, A. Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX
- 2020 "Making a Mark," National Juried Exhibition, Still Point Arts Gallery and Arts Quarterly (Summer), Brunswick, ME
- 2019 CPA Members’ Juried Exhibition, Center for Photographic Art, Carmel, CA
- 2019 Group Exhibition, Riverfront Art Gallery, Petaluma, CA
- 2019 "The Garden," National Juried Exhibition, Still Point Arts Gallery and Arts Quarterly (Spring), Brunswick, ME
- 2018 "The Human Form," Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA
- 2018 "Portrait: Image and Identity," Black Box Gallery Online, Portland, OR
- 2018 "Color Space: Contemporary Photography" Black Box Gallery Online, Portland, OR
- 2018 Members Exhibition, Art Works Downtown, Marin Civic Center, San Rafael, CA
- 2017 "Still Point IX," National Juried Exhibition, Still Point Arts Gallery and Arts Quarterly (Summer), Brunswick, ME
- 2017 "The Art of Structure," National Juried Exhibition, Still Point Arts Gallery and Arts Quarterly (Fall). Brunswick, ME
- 2017 "Nature"s Texture," National Juried Exhibition, Still Point Arts Gallery and Arts Quarterly (Winter), Brunswick, ME
- 2017 "Reflect and Engage," Juried Exhibition of Bay Area Photographers, The Image Flow, Mill Valley, CA
- 2017 CPA Members" Juried Exhibition, Center for Photographic Art, Carmel, CA
- 2015-2018 "Inspired Images," Marin Photography Club Group Show, Civic Center, San Rafael, CA
- 2013 Marin Open Studios, Image Flow, Mill Valley, CA
- 2012 "2012 Group Show," Image Flow, Mill Valley, CA
- 2012 "Showin' on the River," Juried Photography Show, Riverfront Art Gallery, Petaluma, CA
- 2011 Marin Arts Council Winter Exhibit, Marin Arts Gallery, San Rafael, CA
- 2011 "Showin' on the River," Juried Photography Show, Riverfront Art Gallery, Petaluma, CA
- 2011 "Unveiling, Twelve Artists to Watch in 2011," Marin Arts Council Group Show, Marin Arts Gallery, San Rafael, CA
- 2010-2016 Group Art Shows, Marin General Hospital, Greenbrae, CA
- 2010-2011 Marin Arts Council Members Show, Marin Civic Center, San Rafael, CA
- 2010-2011 Member Shows, Marin Society of Artists, Ross, CA
- 2010 "A Collective Exhibit of Dynamic Images by Marin Photographers," Marin Civic Center, San Rafael, CA
Awards
- 2007-2018 Best of Show and other awards at the Marin County Fair, N4C Council of Camera Clubs and Marin Photography Club
- 2012 "Marin Exhibitor of the Year", Marin County Fair, San Rafael, CA
- 2012 Best of Show and other awards at the Napa County Fair, CA
- 1991-2012 Founders Award, FotoClave Best of Category, FotoClave (a group of Camera Clubs in Northern and Central California)
Teaching/Volunteer
- 2019 Presenter, ‘Intentional Camera Movement,’ A Masters’ Night, Marin Photography Club
- 2017 Leader, San Francisco Botanical Gardens, Impressionistic Photography, Marin Photography Club
- 2016 Presenter, "Impressionistic Photography: Motion and Multiple Exposure," Golden Gate Computer Society
- 2012-2016 Judge Chairperson for Marin Photography Club
- 2012 Presenter, "Cuba" – for N4C (Northern Calif. Council of Camera Clubs) for Annual Conference
- 2011 Presenter, Marin Photography Club Workshop, "Montage and Multiple Exposure"
- 2010-present Assist in hanging shows - Marin General Hospital & Marin Photography Club
- 2008-2009 Presenter, "Macro Photography" and "Creativity", Marin Photography Club
- 1997 Leader, "Napa Valley - Wine Country Photography" Day Tour
- 1994 Co-leader of Napa Valley Photography Weekend Tour
Organizations
- Center for Photographic Art, Carmel, CA
- Bay Area Photographers Collective
- Art Works Downtown, San Rafael, CA
- San Francisco Camerawork
- Marin Photography Club
Workshops
- "Photography and Visual Design" with Freeman Patterson and Andre Gallant: Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and Namibia
- "Vision and Discovery" with Richard Martin: Canada, Mexico, Italy, Morocco, Cuba
- "Lunenburg Expressive Workshop" with Andre Gallant: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada
Education
- B.S. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
- B.S. Post Graduate Program/Certificate: Occupational Therapy, University of Puget Sound, WA
Mary Macey Butler Resume (March 2022) |