"Beyond color, the simple elegant beauty of line connects my art forms, from early architectural renderings, drawings and drafting and now sculpture and painting. Line is a signature element giving definition and singularity to my work."
B I O G R A P H Y
Mary-Ann Prack, born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, hails from an architectural engineering lineage, immersing her early life in art and architecture. This foundation fostered an abiding love for the arts and a passion for the Abstract Expressionist Movement. Beginning her artistic education at the University of Guelph, she later studied at the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and Florida Atlantic University, specializing in fine art and interior design. Despite pursuing interior design for livelihood, Mary-Ann dedicated herself to fine art, achieving the transition by 1986. Her sculptural journey, spanning over 35 years, centers on clay, which she constructs into uniquely precise, geometric forms. Drawing inspiration from personal memories and the limitless potential of clay, Mary-Ann employs unconventional techniques and materials. Her sculptures, ranging from two to nine feet tall, bear individuality and originality. In 2004, a temporary health setback steered her towards painting, which has since become an equally vital facet of her artistic expression, coalescing seamlessly with her sculptures to emanate a vibrant artistic aura.
S T A T E M E N T
I am a sculptor and painter recognized for my clay works inspired by the human figure. Through my sculptures, I convey the human experience on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels. I create elegant, organic shapes using colorful glazes and incised lines, imbuing each piece with distinctive human qualities and emotions. My intuitive process of transforming clay into meaningful forms has captivated me for four decades. Additionally, my abstract paintings feature layered colors and shapes that evoke humans, animals, and unique life forms. These artworks display a blend of free-form movement and geometric order, reflecting both architectural influences and emotional depth. Both my sculptures and paintings resonate with shared strength, depth, and energy, leaving a profound impact on viewers.
When engaging with my art, people may experience a connection to the intricate emotions and experiences of humankind. My sculptures and paintings hold stories, both personal and universal. The colors, forms, and lines in my work are carefully orchestrated to evoke feelings and memories that resonate on a deep level. By creating art that speaks to the human essence, I hope to inspire contemplation, empathy, and a profound recognition of our shared human narrative.
Mary-Ann’s home, studio and sculpture garden are located in the mountain community of Jefferson, North Carolina.
EXHIBITIONS
S E L E C T E D S O L O E X H I B I T I O N S
2019 The Shape of Color: Sculpture + Paintings by Mary-Ann Prack - Alamance Arts, Graham, NC
2018 The Shape of Color: Sculpture + Paintings by Mary-Ann Prack - Maria V. Howard Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC
2015 Body Language - New Gallery of Modern Art, Charlotte, NC
2014 Standing Still in the Abstract - City Gallery at Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC
2013 Standing Still in the Abstract - ASU Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, Boone, NC
2012 Figures and Faces in the Abstract - ETSU Tipton Gallery, Johnson City, TN
2010 The Figure Anew - Hawthorne Gallery, Winston-Salem, NC
2009 Forms and Figures - Caldwell Art Center, Lenoir, NC
2007 Figures and Faces in the Abstract - Wilkes Art Gallery, Wilkesboro, NC
2004 Between the Eye and the Fire - Tyndall Galleries, Chapel Hill, NC
1992 Between the Eye and the Fire - Raleigh Gallery, Dania, FL
S E L E C T E D T W O P E R S O N + G R O U P E X H I B I T I O N S
2021 MONUMENTAL - ArtNXTlevel Sergio Gomez Curates, Chicago, IL
2021 OPENING Online Exhibition - ArtNXTlevel Sergio Gomez Curates, Chicago, IL
2021 REDis Online Exhibition - ArtNXTlevel Sergio Gomez Curates, Chicago, IL
2019 Drawing the Line - Florence Thomas Art School, West Jefferson, NC
2019 Abstractions - Florence Thomas Art School, West Jefferson, NC
2018 Sculpture + Paintings by Warren Dennis & Mary-Ann Prack - Carlton Gallery, Banner Elk, NC
2018 ArtMix - Florence Thomas Art School, West Jefferson, NC
2018 Outreach West - ArtMix - Women in Art - Foothills Arts Council, Elkin, NC
2017 ArtMix - Wilkes Art Gallery, Wilkesboro, NC
2016 Art You Love - InFocus Gallery, Greenhill Center for the NC Arts, Greensboro, NC
2016 ArtMix - Caldwell Arts Center, Lenoir, NC
2016 Distinct Voices from Around the World - Tyndall Galleries, Chapel Hill, NC
2015 Articulations - The Haen Gallery, Asheville, NC
2015 ArtMix - Ashe County Arts Center, West Jefferson, NC
2014 Alternate Realities Prack/Nichols - Wilkes Art Gallery, Wilkesboro, NC
2014 ArtMix - Fine Arts Center, Salem College, Winston-Salem, NC
2013 Some Wonderful Abstractions - Allyn Gallup Contemporary Gallery, Sarasota, FL
2013 Following Form - River Gallery, Chattanooga, TN
2013 Abstraction - Sawtooth School of Art, Winston-Salem, NC
2012 Two Visions - Two Media - One Passion Prack/Nichols - Wilkes Art Gallery, Wilkesboro, NC
2012 ArtMix - The Jones House, Boone, NC
2013 Winter Show - Green Hill Center for NC Art, Greensboro, NC
2011 50Fifty - Wilkes Art Gallery, Wilkesboro, NC
2011 ArtMix - Wilkes Art Gallery, Wilkesboro, NC
2010 All in the Approach - The Galleries, Cabarrus Arts Council, Concord, NC
2008 Prack / Trapp - Tyndall Galleries, Chapel Hill, NC
2008 Contours and Concourses - Prack/Durocher, Zenith Galllery, Washington, DC
2007 Go Figure - Nina Liu Gallery, Charleston, NC
2006 Prack / Durocher - Zenith Gallery, Washington, DC
2006 3-D Women - West End Gallery, Winston-Salem, NC
2006 Women Artists of Western NC - ASU Turchin Center, Boone, NC
2005 Prack / Trapp - Gallery 9, Banner Elk, NC
quotes
REPRESENTATION / COLLECTIONS
AWARDS / PRESS / EDUCATION
Q U O T E S
“Your work spoke to me the first time I saw it several years ago. What struck me first was the innovative way you approached the human figure, in a somewhat abstract approach. Having a masters degree in ceramics and sculpture myself, I know the technical challenges you face with each piece and so I had (have) great admiration for that. Then of course your commitment to color in your work was the icing on the cake for me. Your work, in my mind, stands alone as a powerful personal statement and reflection of the singular path you follow. “
Ken Rollins, Owner of Ken Rollins Fine Art and past executive director of four Florida Museums of Art including the Deland Museum of Art
“Mary-Ann Prack’s sculpture evokes both the graphic excitement of Piet Mondrian and the soft figurative lines of Constantin Brancusi and Henry Moore. She is both sculptor and painter, expressing the human condition in form and graphic design. I invite you to meet each of these pieces, observe them, listen to what they have to say, take time to get to know them. Your life will be richer for it.“
Celia Cerasoli, Guest Curator of STANDING STILL IN THE ABSTRACT, Solo Exhibition, City Gallery at Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC
“There were many great exhibits in 2004, but one that stood out was the colorful take on modern art by sculptor Mary-Ann Prack at Tyndall Galleries back in February. Prack's stoneware clays are shaped and glazed intuitively, but come out very aware of Matisse, O'Keefe, Miro, and to an extent, Picasso and Kandinsky. Being able to conduct a modern art orchestration while retaining her own style is what makes Prack's work memorable."
Doug Stuber, Visual Arts Critic, Independent Weekly, Durham, NC. "The Best of the Year 2004" Issue, 1.5.2005, Best Solo Exhibition.
"The figure has been the subject for sculptors since the beginning of human history, to interpret the figure in an artistically original way at this point in time is almost impossible. Mary-Ann has accomplished this. Her work is powerful from a distance, but the details make it quite exceptional up close."
John Henry, American Sculptor
“Mary-Ann Prack's sculptures resonate pure harmony, balance and the relentless positive spirit of humankind. Simple in form yet endowed with a profound sense of ancient wisdom, they are sublime and full of wonder. Prack is an artist who reaches deep within herself to evoke universal themes. That is why I selected her work to receive an Artist Showcase award in the Manhattan Arts International "Herstory 2004" competition/exhibition."
Renee Phillips, Director, Manhattan Arts International, NY, NY. Author: "The Complete Guide To New York Art Galleries"
R E P R E S E N T A T I O N
The Haen Gallery - Asheville, NC + Brevard, NC
The Carlton Gallery - Banner Elk, NC
C O L L E C T I O N S
Sasse Museum of Art, Pomona, CA
SAS Institute, Dr. Jim Goodnight, Cary, NC
Standford Medical Center, Helen Bing Collection, Palo Alto, CA
Duke University Medical Center, Chapel Hill, NC
Private collections in United States and Canada
B I B L I O G R A P H Y
2023 When Women Inspire with Artist Mary-Ann Prack, by Christy Birmingham-Reyes
2022 New South Finds meets Mary-Ann Prack, by Author Linda Jerkins
2022 Canvas Rebel Magazine meet Mary-Ann Prack
2022 Meet Mary-Ann Prack - Art-Talk Interview Virtual Studio Tour - Sassse Museum of Art, Pamona, CA
2021 The Art of Mary-Ann Prack - Catalogue - Sasse Museum of Art March 2021
2021 Mary-Ann Prack Guest Artist - Season 1 Episode 12 - Thought Row Podcast 3/5/21
2021 Art Talks Zoom Edition - Guest Artists: Chess Brodnick, Mary-Ann Prack, Sasse Museum of Art, CA
2021 27 Brilliantly Creative People Share How to Stay Motivated, Thought Row Podcast w/ Rod & Inci Jones
2018 The Shape of Color: Sculpture + Paintings by Mary-Ann Prack by Sergio Gomez,
Amplified Art Network: Exhibition News, October 17, 2018
2015 Gallery Opens Two New Exhibits in Uptown Charlotte, by Mark Hames, Charlotte
Observer, May 9, 2015
2014 Sphere of Influence, Artist Mary-Ann Prack brings her sculptures, paintings + drawings
to City Gallery at Waterfront Park, by Kathleen Curry, Charleston City Paper, April 2014.
2014 Kindred Spirits - Mary-Ann Prack and Tunde Afolayan Famous, by Jeff Eason, Blowing
Rocket, July 17, 2014
2013 Body Language - Mary-Ann Prack at Earls Court Gallery, by Regina Haggo,
Hamilton Spectator, January 4, 2013
2013 Standing Still in the Abstract Exhibition displays Ashe County Artist’s scope of work,
by Lovey Cooper, Senior A&E Reporter, February 25, 2013
2012 All About Mary-Ann, by Raney Rogers, All About Women Magazine, November 2012
E D U C A T I O N
1981 - 82 Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
1976 - 78 Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
1976 European Study Program - Italy, France, England
1973 - 75 University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
© 2024, Mary-Ann Prack. All rights reserved.