Mary Sumner

About Mary Sumner

Mary was born in Northamptonshire in 1957. She studied at Northampton School of Art and West Surrey School of art before attending Bristol University. She then undertook a variety of projects in the West Country including murals and museum displays. She also did some teaching before becoming an illustrator. But she continued with her own work including her highly regarded silk paintings. She was well-known in the South-West and eventually moved to Devon where she lived for more than 20 years.

Inspired by Countryside Walks

Mary Sumner greatly enjoyed walking in the Devon countryside and it was these walks which were to inspire her later work. She celebrated beautiful landscapes, farm animals, coastal towns and flowers in her paintings. She evolved a unique style which captured special moments with intense colours and presented us with characterful, stylised creatures that felt spontaneous and full of vitality.

Capturing the Essence

Using photographs, notes, sketches and objects that she had collected, Mary carefully evolved her compositions. She wanted to capture the very essence of her subjects and managed to transform the everyday into the extraordinary.

'I illustrate encounters of my daily life, things I have seen during the day; for example, a particular building, a group of animals, the colours in a garden, anything that interests and amuses me.'

Mary Sumner Art - Signed Limited Edition Prints

Sadly Mary Sumner passed away June 2016. There will be no more examples of her uplifting paintings and textiles to enjoy. So we are particularly honoured to be able to bring you a stunning collection of her signed limited edition prints. These vibrant and fascinating compositions are uplifting and joyous and would be valuable additions to any home.