Mary was raised on a working farm in Illinois, where she was surrounded by animals of all kinds. Helping with the chores and close contact with the cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, and horses, fostered a love of all animals. Her special fondness of horses continued to grow as she competed in horse shows as a child and cross country fox hunts (not live) as a young adult. Following art classes in high school, Mary received additional training at Parson's School of Design. However, her heart was not in the commercial aspect of art, but rather in fine art where she could capture, forever, in her portraits the likeness of someone's pet or family member. After marriage in 1968, and beginning a family, Mary once again brought horses back into her life. Her daughters ride with her, and she keeps a thoroughbred and an arab / morgan mix in Dahlonega, GA where she can visit and ride often. She also uses many of the 30 other horses at the stable as subjects in her paintings. Mary's other companions are her two miniature schnauzers which are always at her side, even in the studio where she does her many commissioned portraits of both animals and people.

Melissa, one of Mary's daughters, also grew up around horses and fell in love with them. As a child, she showed promise of becoming an artist and drew many animals. She excelled in her art classes in high school and graduated from college in 2000 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree, Magna Cum Laude. Melissa immediately began exploring her options in the art field. Shortly afterwards, she began working on portraits of friends and family, as well as animals of all kinds, and her artistic career was established.