Mary P. Spellings

Mary P. Spellings paints the spirit of the South with warmth, wit, and reverence. A lifelong Tennessean, Mary was born and raised in Mercer, just outside Jackson. Her love for “country things”—weathered trucks, sunlit pastures, familiar faces marked by time—shines through in every brushstroke. With a gift for capturing moments that feel both personal and universal, she brings out the quiet dignity in the everyday.

Her journey began with kitchen clay sculptures as a child and took shape with a high school painting class that sparked a lifelong love for watercolor. She went on to earn her B.A. in Art from Union University and has studied with nationally known instructors. For Mary, watercolor is more than a medium—it’s a living thing. She embraces its unpredictability, its transparency, and its ability to surprise.

Whether she’s painting a rusted-out Chevy, a wide-eyed child, or the Blue Ridge foothills, Mary works with strong values in tone, texture, and color. She’s especially drawn to subjects that tell a story—farm animals, aging vehicles, and people in their unpolished, beautiful realness. Her acrylic pours and loose experimental pieces reveal a playful edge, while her controlled watercolors showcase an expert hand.

Mary’s work has been exhibited widely across the South and beyond, with dozens of solo shows and top awards from juried exhibitions including the Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, and Watercolor Society of Alabama. Her paintings have traveled as far as China and Spain and are held in collections by organizations such as the Bank of Jackson, Toyota Bodine, Bancorp South, and the National Bird Dog Museum.

As a co-founder of Art in the Village, Mary has helped build and support Jackson’s creative community from the ground up. She also teaches workshops and children’s summer camps, always with a heart for sharing her joy in the creative process.

“I think being an artist is the greatest blessing. My prayer is that I use this gift for God’s glory.”