Mary Datum is an artist living in Southwest Missouri in the city of Joplin. She was born in Oklahoma and raised in Northern California and Nevada. Mary began drawing at an early age. She was encouraged in her art by her parents and teachers.

 

As a young child she was able to make frequent excursions to the San Francisco fine arts museums. The De Young and the Asian Art Museum were her favorites. These art museums were inspiring and she would often try and duplicate the art she had seen.  Now, her primary source of inspiration for her diverse subject matter comes from the simple things in nature or around the home and in the beauty of Southwest Missouri Ozarks.

 

Ms. Datum has exhibited her art work in group exhibitions including  the Spiva 66th Annual Membership Show, Joplin Regional Artists Coalition show "Harvest", Joplin Regional Artists show "Anything Goes" and forthcoming exhibits in the “Hermann Jaeger Fine Arts Competition” and Spiva Art Center “Small Works Auction”.  Her art can also be seen at the Rose Gallery of Fine Art and Wayside Furniture in Joplin, Missouri. Her art work is in many private residences in Texas, California, Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Kansas and Missouri.

 

She participates in workshops to expand her knowledge and continue to grow as an artist. She feels that painting is a lifelong process of learning and growing. She currently is a member of the Joplin Regional Artists Coalition. She has studied oil painting under Gloria Locke and Dan Edmondson.