Mary Burns expresses her love of northern woodlands and waters in her weavings and writings. An award-winning weaver, her work resides in private homes across the United States. She weaves custom designed hand-woven rugs and wall pieces. Mary also creates tapestries and felted work that reflect the hues and patterns of the natural world. Her newest loom, a Jacquard TC-1 named Nora, allows her to craft her work in even greater detail, vibrancy, and character. She gathers inspiration from many places and cultures, including the natural world, ancient rock art, the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Arts & Crafts Movement. Her looms range in width from 10 inches to 10 feet. Mary's first novel Heartwood (2003) is a fantasy/natural history novel for young adults. She is a contributor to A Place to Which We Belong: Wisconsin Writers on Wisconsin Landscapes (1998). Mary and her family live in northern Wisconsin.

For a list of current and upcoming shows and workshops, click here.

Fiber Resume

Galleries and Shops: Riverrun Center for the Arts, McNaughton,WI; Odonata, Mercer, WI; Manitowish River Studio, Manitowish, WI;

Art Shows and Exhibits:

Paradise Lost? Traveling climate change exhibit, 2007-08

Milwaukee Fine Furnishings and Fine Crafts Show, 2007

Kohler Art Center Festival, Sheboygan, WI, 2007

Manito Art League Exhibit, Manitowish Waters, WI, 1996-2007

the other side of up north, CVA, Wausau, WI, 2007

Confluence, Nicolet College, Rhinelander, WI, 2006

Artists in the Ottawa, Ottawa National Forest, MI, 2006

Where Are the Northern Lights? Pine Tree Gallery, Ironwood, MI, 2006

Lake Country Weaver's Guild Exhibit, Rhinelander, WI, 2005

Art Fair on the Square, Madison, WI, 1990-'97,'99-'02,'04

Festival of Arts, Wausau, WI, 1990 -'97, '99-03, '05-'07

Madison Winter Art Festival, 2000 through '04, '06-'08

Northwoods Summer Art Tour, 2000-2008

Abstract by Nature, Pine Tree Gallery, Ironwood, MI, 2002

Fiber/Metal, a MN Crafts Council Show, St. Paul, MN, 1997,'98,'99

Minnesota Crafts Festival, St. Paul, MN, 1993,1999

Northern Lights/Nights, Pine Tree Gallery, Ironwood, MI, 1999

Milwaukee's Irish Fest, demonstrating artist, 1998

Park Point Art Festival, Duluth, 1996, 1997

Masterpiece Exhibit, Artisan Gallery, Paoli, WI, March/April 1996

Traveling the River of Souls, Pine Tree Gallery, Ironwood, MI, August-Sept 1995

Marshfield Art Fair/New Visions Gallery, 1995, 1996

Sunporch Gallery and Cafe, Madison, WI, two person show, Feb 6 - March 20, 1994

Awards: Wausau Festival of Arts Award Winner 2006, 2000, 1996; Park Point Art Festival, Duluth Best of Fiber Award 1996; Madison Art Fair on the Square, Invitational Award 1991,'92,'93,'94,'95,'00; Manito Art League Show Honorable Mention 2002, '03, '06; Award of Excellence, Marshfield Art Fair/New Visions Gallery 1995.

Teaching: workshops in tapestry weaving, felting; co-leader of Fiber Art Tour of Ireland, 2003

Memberships: Handweaver's Guild of America; Surface Design Association; Wisconsin Alliance of Artists and Craftspeople; Lake Country Weaver's Guild

Education: BA, U of Wisconsin, Green Bay, WI; Jacquard Workshop, Montreal, Canada

Press: "Woven in the woods: Artist weaves nature into rugs, canoe and kayak tours" by Carol Guensburg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staff (written on May 16, 1999).