Check Out Mary Reid’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Reid.

Hi Mary, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I Knew at Five”
From the age of five, I knew art was my strength. When I entered college, I majored in art, but during the transfer process to a university, an advisor dismissed my work. At just twenty years old, I placed more faith in a stranger’s judgment than my own. She told me I wasn’t meant to be an artist-and I believed her.
For years I circled around art instead of fully embracing it. My career unfolded as a commercial makeup artist, and I found success there-working on national ad campaigns, collaborating with celebrities, and contributing to fashion editorials. Yet, even while thriving professionally, a quiet ache for painting lingered. To fill that void, I became a docent at the Phoenix Art Museum. If I couldn’t create art, I could at least immerse myself in it, study it deeply, share it with others, and surround myself with the masterpieces of those who did.
Everything changed on New Year’s Eve of 2019. As the ball dropped, I made a resolution: to bring art back into my life. And that was it-I dove in. That year, I enrolled in eight workshops. Soon after, I deepened my commitment by traveling to Florence, Italy, where I spent a month each year training at an academy.
In many ways, I was making a promise to that five-year-old girl I had once abandoned. I imagined her waiting for me all these years, and I vowed not to let her down again. It may have taken time, but I realized it wasn’t too late. Her dream could still come true-and it did.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of my biggest roadblocks was self-doubt. At twenty, I handed over the authority to decide my future to someone else-a stranger, really-and for years I let that one moment shape my path. I didn’t stop loving art, but I convinced myself I wasn’t “meant” to pursue it. That mindset was harder to overcome than any technical challenge.
Another struggle was really starting from scratch. Most of the skills I learned from my early practice and school were more than rusty. There were a lot of tears shed in workshops because I knew how I wanted to paint but I really knew nothing about how to get there. I was creative, but not in the way my heart longed for. It took courage to carve out space again for painting, to give myself permission to be a beginner after years of watching from the sidelines.
Looking back, though, those detours gave me resilience. I learned discipline, I learned how to work with people, and I learned that no dream truly expires-you just have to be willing to fight for it when the time comes.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My art is rooted in classical realism, drawing inspiration from Renaissance masters, yet it carries a contemporary sensibility. I am fascinated by the balance between the inner world and the outer world-how our emotions, memories, and private narratives intersect with the physical spaces we inhabit. Often, my subjects are intimate moments, figures, or objects rendered with careful attention to light, form, and atmosphere.
I aim for my paintings to feel timeless, contemplative, and quietly powerful. Whether I’m depicting the human figure, a still life, or a fleeting gesture, my goal is to invite the viewer to pause and look deeper-to see not only the surface but the presence, the story, and the emotion behind it.

Any big plans?
My plans are simple but deeply meaningful-to keep growing as an artist. I want to challenge myself with larger works, to experiment with new subjects, and to continue studying in Florence each year, where I feel so connected to the lineage of painters who inspire me.
I’d also love to continue to share my work more broadly-through exhibitions on both coasts and eventually internationally-because I believe art lives fully when it’s seen and experienced by others. Most of all, my future is about honoring the promise I made to my younger self: to never again set aside this passion, but instead to keep nurturing it and letting it unfold.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maryreidart.com
• Instagram: @maryreidamericanartist

Image Credits
The photo of myself sitting in front of two of my artworks is credited to photographer Paul Markow

The photo of painting of cropped cowgirl with belt buckle is credited to photographer Paul Markow
All others were taken by me