Mary Cole, "Rock Reflections" painting. Swirling waves surround and reflect a rock offshore
Accession Number: PC.101
Artist: Mary Cole
watercolor

Mary Rowley Cole’s ( -2004) early years were spent on the southwest shores of Lake Superior, born in Bayfield and grew up in Ashland, Wisconsin. She graduated from Northland College in Ashland.

After moving to Pasadena, California with her family, she spent several years in the newspaper field. She married Walter Cole in the depression years and they had three children. Then with the children well along in school, she began to join the painters that congregated around their boat yard at Newport Beach, California.

Mary studied at Orange Coast College with Rex and Joan Brandt. After Mary and Walt moved to Cambria in 1959, she studied with Phil Paradise and Arne Nybak. She also studied with George Post, Edgar Whitney, Jeanne Dobie and others.

Mary traveled extensively, usually with art groups and enjoyed painting in foreign lands as well as with the Wednesday Irregulars along California’s Central Coast.

Mary taught drawing and watercolor for 16 years at the Allied Arts Schoolhouse Gallery and for Cuesta College. Her paintings are part of many private collections.

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