Born and raised in San Francisco, Mary Lou has possessed an immense love of art and animals, from her youth. Since early education, she sketched, painted and drew at every opportunity - and continued to build her life around becoming an artist..

Later in life, she continued to blend her art with her love of animals. Drawing portraits of many typed of pets, and specializing in dogs while showing and breeding them became a fulfilling passion.

After graduating from Sonoma State University with a BA in Biological Illustration - she continued to be impassioned by her subjects, whether they were plant or animal, then rendering them  in her unique soft, detailed, realistic style. Her professional goals of becoming a Medical Illustrator were drastically changed by marriage and children.

Caring for children of all ages, as a licensed daycare provider and adopting 2 children with her husband Michael, Mary Lou taught art to all "charges", and delighted in watching their creativity grow. At the same time, Mary Lou became a successful graphic artist, working for the advertising department of several newspapers, and private San Francisco businesses.

In 2002, Mary Lou moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon with her husband and son. Presently specializing in colored pencil drawings of Northwest birds, Mary Lou sees them as symbols of freedom and spirituality. She began drawing birds as a means of escape to help her recover from the death of her daughter, and it has developed into a career as a result of people's response to her artwork. Her son's fondness of the pelicans and Heron's of the area inspired many of her art pieces.

Oregon has also attracted works of fishing and sail boats, homes and business architecture, a rewarding adventure for her. Mary Lou  continues to do pet portraits for professional breeders and pet owner's alike. She is accepting commissions for custom compositions  of all subjects.

"I now view life as a very fragile brief event, and strive to capture the essence of life in all forms."