Newburyport
Mary's studio is located in Newburyport, Massachusetts. This historic seaport city, north of Boston, with its flowers, gardens, landscapes and antique houses, has been the inspiration for the artist's realistic oil paintings.
Newburyport is the smallest city in Massachusetts and at one time was larger than Boston. High Street, the gateway to the city, is lined with stately mansions and graceful homes and has been called "one of the most scenic streets in all of New England". Newburyport's historic downtown largely consists of impressive brick buildings constructed after the fire of 1811. In the 1970's the town was restored and today is a thriving city full of restaurants, museums, shops and the beautiful FireHouse Center for the Arts.
Plum Island, only a few miles away, has eight miles of pristine beaches and beautiful marshes. Sandy Point at the very end of Plum Island, looking towards Ipswich and Cape Anne, is a favorite spot for searching for sand dollars, picnics and watching the sunrise.
Maudslay State Park has miles of woods, hiking trails, beautiful fields, orchards, gardens, views across the Merrimac River and azalea and rhododendron lined paths. It is also the home of Theatre in the Open, one of the many art organizations that comprises this amazing city.
Mary has also written extensively about newburyport on The Newburyport Blog.