Tae See Oorsels As We, Oorsels, See Us

Quarrymen's Arts Centre

Hill Street, DG8 7HG, Creetown, Dumfries and Galloway, United Kingdom

Mary Carroll

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Mary Carroll describes herself as a singer-songwriter, artist and illustrator and much sought after cleaning lady!She has lived and worked in Dumfries and Galloway all her life and, having been brought up in Twynholm and educated there and at Kirkcudbright Academy, she’s been residing in Dalbeattie for the past 27 years with her husband. They have 2 grown up children as well as 2 much loved whippets.Mary started work at 16 with the Local Authority and worked in an office environment until 7 years ago when she decided to become a self-employed cleaning lady! She maintains it’s the best career choice she ever made with exceptional improvements to her life and both her physical and mental health.A greatly experienced and highly respected singer, song-writer and performer in the rock, country, jazz, blues and folk genres Mary has continually fronted ‘The Mary Barclay Band’ since its inception in 1995. She is currently working on new material with her band.It was in her late 40s that Mary began to take art, and her ability to create it, seriously having given it up at school in favour of music. She was encouraged by her daughter and a friend and is now completely passionate about drawing, painting and creating.Mary is a strong advocate of body positivity and much of her work portrays women believing in themselves, whatever their shape, size, age or skin colour. She wishes to challenge the mindset, ingrained into the female psyche over decades, of only feeling self-worth if you look a certain way.She wants to encourage women to feel good about themselves, to give and accept compliments freely.If her work fits into any category, Mary considers it to be that of the ‘naive artist', producing simple but striking work in various media - watercolour, gouache, pencil and occasionally linocut and air-dry clay. She works from a tiny workspace in her living room and produces original paintings, prints and greetings cards.Mary describes herself as being very down to earth, approachable yet fiery while, at the same time, being special and unique!!!