Please join us for the Opening Reception: Wednesday, July 29 from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm. 

Mary Swanson grew up in Rockford, Illinois, the youngest daughter of an artist and business owner. She spent most of her childhood in art galleries surrounded by artists and creative people. One of her fondest memories as a child was participating in a college level painting course with her mother at Rockford University.  During her teen years she attended a private high school where creativity was pushed. During college she pursued a path of computer graphics but later found a passion for teaching.  In 2004 she moved to Chicago, Illinois where she attended DePaul University to receive her BA in Secondary Art Education with a minor in painting. In 2006 she accepted a high school teaching position in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where she currently resides. 

Her work in this exhibition takes a critical view of living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Each piece depicts her every day fears/struggles and triumphs dealing with the disease. The subjects are often depicting herself as the main focal point.