Artist Statement

Mary Powers-Holt is a painter whose work is involved with the landscape and inspired by abstract patterns against atmospheric color and light. Her paintings are about a solitary discovery of place in time and how with repeated observation the same view is modified by light and color. Abstract forms and images are generated through perception and imagination. Her primary medium is Acrylic paint on canvas and board.

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Artist Biography

Mary Powers-Holt exhibits her work with the Cerulean Arts Collective Members Gallery in Philadelphia and has participated in many past exhibits with the Jeffrey Leder Gallery formerly in Long Island City, NY. Her work has been shown in the Alumni Gallery of the PA Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, The Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, The Main Line Art Center in Haverford, PA, Solo at The Rivers Edge Gallery - sponsored by Inliquid at Bridgeton House, the Maryland Federation of Art in Annapolis, Maryland and in many other venues. Her work is in many private collections.

Mary Powers-Holt was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She studied painting, drawing and Sculpture at the PA Academy of the Fine Arts and Art History at the University of Pennsylvania through the Academy and Penn’s coordinated B.F.A./Certificate program. She also studied foundation design at the University of the Arts. As a student at the PA Academy she was awarded the J. Henry Schiedt Traveling Scholarship for work exhibited in the Student Annual.

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Education

1989
The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
BFA

1979 – 1983
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Certificate

1978 – 1979
The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA

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Awards + Honors

2005 – 2006
Honorable Mention, 56th Philadelphia Tri-State Artists Equity Exhibition, American College, Bryn Mawr, PA

2001
Catherine Gibbons Granger Award for Painting, 104th Fellowship Show, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA

1983
J. Henry Schiedt Traveling Scholarship, Student Annual Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts,
Philadelphia, PA

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Bibliography

2005
Donohue, Victoria, “The Wayne Art Center’s Spring Competition Doesn’t Disappoint,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 24, 2005

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Affiliations

2019
Cerulean Arts Gallery and Studio, Philadelphia, PA
Collective Member

2011 – 2016
Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Long Island City, NY

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Professional Experience

2019-Present

Teaching Artist in Adult Painting, University City Arts League, Philadelphia, PA

2021-2023

Artist in Residence, The Fitler Club, Philadelphia, PA

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Exhibitions

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Solo

2022
Solo Series, Cerulean Arts Collective Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2020
Solo Series, Cerulean Arts Collective Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2019
Solo Series, Cerulean Arts, Philadelphia, PA

2018
Solo Series, Cerulean Arts, Philadelphia, PA

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Group

2021
Winter Invitational, Powel Lane Arts, Collingswood, NJ

Where Land Meets Sky (with Robert Reinhardt), Atria Senior Living, Philadelphia, PA

Share the Love, University City Arts League, Philadelphia, PA

Subjective Perspective, Da Vinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA

2020
Light, Da Vinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia Forthcoming, Da Vinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA

2019
Professional Members Exhibition, Main Line Arts Center, Haverford, PA

2017 - 2018
Professional Members Exhibition, Main Line Arts Center, Haverford, PA

Drawn From Nature, John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove, Audubon, PA

154th Annual Exhibition of Small Oil Paintings, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA

Fresh Hues, Media Arts Council, Media, PA

2016
Strokes of Genius, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, MD

Landscape and Photography Exhibit, Art on Avenue of the States, Chester, PA
Juror: Lauren Litwa Holden
Second Prize

National Juried Exhibition, Oxford Arts Alliance, Oxford, PA
Juror: Jennifer Samet

Radius: Diverging Lines from a Common Center, Franklin Commons, Phoenixville, PA

2015
Artists Equity Fall Exhibition, Wallingford Center for the Arts, Wallingford, PA
Honorable Mention

American Landscapes, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, MD

Spring Gala Exhibition, ‘Paint the Town Red’, The Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

International Painting NYC IV, The Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Long Island City, NY

Professional Members’ Exhibition, The Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

2014 – 2015
Mary Powers-Holt, River’s Edge Gallery, Bridgeton House, Upper Black Eddy, PA

2014
PAFA Fellowship 115TH Annual Exhibition, PA Academy of the Fine Arts Alumni Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Philadanco, The Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA

Jewels and Treasures, The Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

Luscious Landscapes, Project Space Gallery, Wilmington, DE

12 x 12, The PA Academy of the Fine Arts Alumni Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Photographic Being, The Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Long Island City, NY

2013
American Landscapes – Images of the Americas, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis MD

InLiquid Members Show, Philadelphia, PA

Plein Air, Liz Afif Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Landscapes, The Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Long Island City, NY

Professional Members’ Show, The Main Line Art Center Haverford, PA

Artists Equity at the Goggleworks, Reading, PA

Chester County Studio Tour, PA

2012
Winter Show, The Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Long Island City, NY

Small Works, NYC, The Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Long Island City, NY

Artists’ Equity at the Lyceum, Burlington, NJ

American Landscapes, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, MD
National Juried Exhibition

Professional Members Exhibition, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

International Painting NYC, The Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Long Island City, NY
Juried International Exhibition

2011
Strokes of Genius: All Painting National Exhibition, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, MD

Artists’ Equity 62nd Anniversary Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA

For Art’s Sake Weekend: Blank Canvas Benefit for the Visual Arts Center of NJ, Summit, NJ

2010
Open Space: Paintings by Mary Powers-Holt, Burrison Gallery, The University Club at Penn, Philadelphia, PA

Small Art Big Auction, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE

Dear Fleisher, Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA

2009
Art Discovery in Seoul, A&C Art Fair, Seoul Korea and The Concept of Contemporary Art. Sponsored by the Hun Gallery, NY

Crossing Lines, Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, Wilmington, DE
Juried Exhibition

Philadelphia Tri-State Artists Equity Select Exhibition, Barnstone Gallery, Phoenixville, PA

2008
International 2008, Hun Gallery, New York, NY
Juried Exhibition

Blank Canvas Benefit, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NJ

2007
Visions and Vistas, The Fine Arts People Gallery
Four-person Exhibition

Academy Women, Salon des Amis Gallery, Malvern, PA
Invitational

21st International Juried Show, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NJ
Juried Exhibition

Blank Canvas Benefit, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NJ

2006
National Spring Open, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
Juried Exhibition

2005
56th Philadelphia Tri-State Artists Equity Exhibition, West Chester University, West Chester, PA

National Spring Open, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
Juried Exhibition

2002
Philadelphia/Tri State Artists Equity 52nd Anniversary Exhibition, Noyes Museum of Art, Oceanville, NJ

2001
104th Members’ Exhibition Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Juried Exhibition

All Media Show, Chester County Art Association, West Chester, PA
Juried Exhibition

2000
2000 Fall Members’, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
Juried Exhibition

103rd Members’ Exhibition Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Juried Exhibition

Water Media 2000, Chester County Art Association, West Chester, PA

Philadelphia/Tri State Artists Equity Millennial Juried Exhibition, The American College, Bryn Mawr, PA

1999
102nd Members’ Exhibition Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Juried Exhibition

PAFA Summer Fellowship Show, The Plastic Club, Philadelphia, PA

1990
PA Third Annual Juried Painting Exhibition, The Baum School Of Art, Allentown, PA

1987 – 1989
Zone One Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Multiple group exhibitions

1984
Folding Compositions, Gallery D’Este, New York, NY

Multiples, The Rodger Lapelle Gallery, Philadelphia, PA