Background 

Mary Rose (Bourque) O’Connell is a lifelong resident of Billerica, Massachusetts.  She currently resides there with her husband, Dick, who owns a successful general contracting construction company with their sons, Ryan and Chris.

Mary Rose’s artistic ability and passion was evident at a young age.  She studied painting and drawing in grade school supplemented with private lessons into her teenage years.  Many of her early works are displayed prominently in the homes of her family members.

She holds an Associates degree in Dental Hygiene from Middlesex Community College and has been a registered Dental Hygienist for the past 26 years.  She specializes in Periodontal and Pediatric Dentistry.

Mary Rose’s interests, in addition to her family and friends, include photography, reading and collecting art books and magazines, and, visiting art museums and exhibits.

As Mary Rose’s children have grown, she has renewed her art studies and with a new found passion that is apparent in her works.

 Selected Exhibitions

Mary Rose has recently shown her work successfully at a number of local exhibitions and galleries, including:

·        July 2008– Chelmsford Art Society (Award Winner in Two Categories: 1st Place Professional Division and Most Popular Vote)

·        Artmosphere Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts

·        November 2007 – Juried Show Essex Art Center, Lawrence, Massachusetts

·        September 2007 – Andover Artist Guild (Award Winner)

·        March and April 2007 – The Colorful Palette, The Atrium Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts

·         December 2006 – Sgroi Gallery, Billerica, Massachusetts

 Artistic Studies

Since 2003, Mary Rose has actively pursued her artistic studies including studies with the following artists:

·        2005 - present:  Portrait painting studies in oils with Mary Minifie, Boston School portrait artist

·        Workshops conducted by Joseph McGurl, Albert Handell, Anita Louise West, Timothy Thies, Dennis Sheehan and Craig Srebnik

·        2004 – 2007:  Acrylic painting with Tom Gill

·        2003 _ 2005:  Watercolors with Gary Stearly

Mary Rose belongs to the following fine art associations:

·        Portrait Society of America

·        Chelmsford Art Society

In
Mary Rose's Own Words

On how she became interested in fine art:

“I’ve enjoyed painting and drawing since I was a child.  My parents encouraged my interest and provided me with the necessary materials, the space to paint and with lessons.   Even during the years of working full time and raising my family when finding time to paint was difficult, I studied nature and carefully observed the world around me.”

On her favorite memories of painting:

“Over the last few years, I’ve enjoyed painting en plein air at favorite locations around New England, including Cape Ann, Cape Cod and many places around the Merrimac Valley.  I have shared these experiences with other artists whose company I enjoy.  In addition to painting portraits and figurative works, I enjoy painting landscapes.”

On her goals as an artist:

“I strive for excellence in perfecting my technical skills and remain open to learn from past and present masters whose work I admire.”

Her favorite quote on painting:

“There are moments in our lives; there are moments in a day, when we seem to see beyond the usual. Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom.  If one could but recall his vision as some sort of sign.  It was in this hope that the arts were invented.  Sign-posts on the way to what may be.  Sign-posts toward greater knowledge.”                                         Robert Henri