Mary Ferris
Born
in Oklahoma, Mary Ferris' early life featured the Depression and dust storms.
Growing up during that time, she wanted to be a nurse. Entering the U.S.
Army Cadet Corp in 1945, her training lasted three years. All told, she
worked as a nurse for over fifty years.
After semi-retirement in 1990, she started taking classes in art. Jerry
Yarnell, Carolyn Stallwitz, John Birdsong, Larry Greer and other artists have
helped Mary to learn watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and oils, with acrylic being
her favorite.
"My first painting sold to a young
man from Ireland...a hummingbird in a field of wildflowers in front of a barbed
wire fence. The young man had never seen a hummingbird until he came to
work in Texas for six months. It was such a thrill to sell a painting!"
Mary lives in Dumas with her
husband, Earl. In between keeping grandkids, she says, "Earl lets me
'do my own thing'."
