Mary Roley

Education

MFA, Sculpture, UW-Madison
BS, Landscape Architecture, UW-Madison
BA, Studio Art, University of Redlands, California

Biography

Mary Roley is an artist and educator, currently teaching at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts. She teaches 3d Foundations in the First Year Program and introductory to advanced courses in Sculpture. In the summer Mary teaches additional design courses in UWM’s exchange program with The Hubei University of Technology in Wuhan, China. While in China last summer she was a featured artist in the Artist Now Lecture Series with her fellow UWM Colleagues. Mary obtained a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the University of Wisconsin – Madison where she focused on glass working and metal fabrication. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, as well as a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Studio Art and Women’s Studies from the University of Redlands in Redlands, California. As an undergraduate Mary was also extremely fortunate to spend a year abroad studying sculpture in Florence, Italy. After earning her BA Mary pursued extensive course work in Industrial Welding Techniques at the Madison Area Technical College before landing work as a fulltime welder at Jenkins Manufacturing in Madison where she says she got her “real education” and developed her love for steel fabrication. Mary additionally credits internships at The Johnson Atelier in New Jersey, Urban Glass in New York and The Women’s Studio Workshop also in New York, with exponentially expanding her skills in metal working, glass blowing and printmaking. During her undergraduate education(s) she was the recipient of the Ann Peppers Outstanding Studio Art Major award and was one of three recipients of The Wayne Grace National Memorial Student competition. As a graduate student in Madison, Mary was nominated by the department for a Joan Mitchell Foundation award. Recently she has received two faculty development awards to apply toward her artistic research in glass and metal sculpture. Mary’s artwork has been featured in shows at the Maude Kearns Art Center in Eugene, Oregon, Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio, Texas, Millennic Glass Gallery, and Downtown Neon Gallery both in Kansas City, Missouri, but is most proud of her participation in faculty shows at Innova Gallery at UWM. In addition to her sculptural practice she has been a vital team member for large scale landscape architectural projects such as the spray park at the Goodwin Community Center in Madison, Wisconsin.