About the Artist
Mary Proctor
Missionary Mary Proctor was born in 1960 in Florida and raised by her maternal grandparents who instilled in her the importance of religion. In th mid 90's after losing members of her family in a fire, Mary said that the Lord appeared to her in a vision and told her to “paint the door”. From that time forward she began to paint. She continues creating to this day using found objects from her junkyard, which she calls her Folk Art Museum. Missionary Mary crafts three dimensional assembled works from discarded cola cans, cardboard boxes whose brand names inspire unique works, buttons, mirrors, jewelry and other trinkets. Some works are inspired by bible scripture and others by memories of her grandmother or her childhood and most include written messages that she terms "spiritual truths or life lessons".
Work featured in or commissioned by:
American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland
“Rawvision”
The Coca Cola Corporation
Zora Neale Hurston Museum, Eatonville, Florida
Tricia Collins-Grand Salon, New York, New York
(Feb. 1996) “Mary L. Proctor: The Door Paintings”)
City of Orlando, Fl
Mennello Museum of American Folk Art