Mary Boxley Bullington
I am a self-taught artist. My formal education is in literature, right down to a Ph.D. in medieval lit (Indiana University, 1993). I also have an MFA in Creative Writing (UNC at Greensboro, 1978). The latter taught me that I could trust the materials and the process of working to help me with both subject matter and texture. An eclectic eye and lots and lots of looking inform both my figurative and my abstract work. My favorite artists include the 12th century sculptor Giselbertus, Picasso, and Jean DuBuffet. I'm also indebted to the American Abstract Expressionists and to the sculpture and textiles of sub-Saharan Africa. Key to my collages and paintings is a physical, often percussive rhythm, fluid line, and a delight in color. I also love visual saturation—I strive to give my viewers so much to see in any one piece that they must take it in gradually, over time. In my biblical pictures, I owe my questioning, freewheeling approach largely to medieval poets-especially to Chaucer and his 14th-century contemporary, the Gawain-poet--and to a host of mostly anonymous medieval artists who loved nothing better than to insert into the recesses of sacred structures and texts the awkward monster, the ribald pun, and the homely but telling detail. Beware the cat stalking the sparrow under a bed.
Contact Information
In my hometown, Roanoke, VA, I show at The Market Gallery (540/342-1177), of which I am Co-President in tandem with fellow artist Ed Bordett. If you want more information about a piece, or want to see a wider range of my work, I can be reached at home at 540/904-2828 or over the net at marybullington@cox.net.