Mary Ann honed her drawing skills and perspective from the days she spent sketching the neighbors’ horses while growing up in the Ohio countryside. Her mother frequently orchestrated museum excursions for the family. From her mother she gained a deep appreciation for architecture, travel, and the works of the great Masters. Mary Ann’s focus turned to fashion illustration during her high school years and she seriously considered a career path in commercial art. However, her interest in science at Ohio Northern University led her to a degree in Pharmacy followed by a multi-decade career as a healthcare entrepreneur, CEO, and an industry voice for legislative and regulatory issues on Capitol Hill. Coming full circle, these days she follows her creative flow while traveling extensively, with camera in hand, on plein air excursions in order to capture her impressions of our amazing world. Her artistic journey seeks to honor the connectedness of people, places and things that inspire, bring great joy, and drive creativity. As the Art Envoy of AuburnJames (a Napa Valley winery, she founded along with her brother, Matt in 2005), Mary Ann curates the art for winery’s Fine Art Gallery and Tasting Rooms as well as the artwork gracing the label of their award winning Bordeaux-style red blend: AuburnJames Napa Valley - Artist Series.As an artist, Mary Ann is inspired to capture a nuanced sense of place in her art that connects the viewer to warm thoughts and treasured memories.