Portrait by Matt Kania
Portrait by Dr. Gretchen Stein
Mary Pettis — Paintings Photographed by Mitch Rossow
Art Renewal Center ARC Living Master™ · Signature Member, AIS, OPA & ASMA · Board Member, American Society of Marine Artists
Mary Pettis has spent a career painting the world and teaching others to see it — Russia, China, Italy, Hawaii, and points between — with the kind of sustained output that shows up in the work. When she brings paintings to the studio it’s always a pleasure to see what she’s been doing. The range in a single session can go from an 8×10″ plein air study to a six-foot canvas of an Italian landscape, each with its own technical demands.
Her photographs go to a demanding set of destinations: national publications, international salon committees, gallery owners, collectors on multiple continents, and exhibition catalogs for venues including Minnesota Orchestra Hall. Each arrives with specific file requirements. Getting those images right, at every scale, every time, is what this studio is built for.
I’d love to claim her success is because of my photos, but they’re one part of a well-run operation. Her real ace is a great business partner, Jen Kochevar of JNK Art Partners, who handles the business of art with the same seriousness Mary brings to the painting. I take pride in contributing to what they’ve built.
Mary’s work is in the permanent collections of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Royal Residence in Stockholm, Sweden, as well as the U.S. Senate offices in Washington D.C., the Cargill Corporation, and the Carl Pohlad Collection. A commissioned print was presented personally to the King and Queen of Sweden. Collectors of her work reach across the globe.
She teaches workshops for painters at all levels, from her Taylors Falls bluff-side studio to retreats on the California coast and in Italy. See upcoming workshops at her website →
What Mary says about the work
“I am an oil painter working in the contemporary style of expressive realism. Mitch Rossow has been my photographer for a few years now, and I have nothing but glowing words to describe what it is like to work with him. His photos have captured accurately the gamut of color palettes that I use, whether the subject is an 8×10″ plein air flower study, the subtle gradations in 30×40″ sunrises over the ocean, or large 4×6′ studio paintings of Italian villages and vistas.
I have had numerous paintings digitally scanned over the years, and I find that Mitch’s photos produce the same results for far less cost. We have sent his images to all venues including feature articles in national publications, international salons and competitions, and books and catalogs. It is wonderful to know that the photos I am sending are of the highest caliber, and meet all their specifications.
I need to add here that Mitch is a joy to work with, is very flexible and patient, and has a well trained, discerning eye. Needless to say, I recommend him highly!”
— Mary Pettis
Over 300 paintings photographed — for publications, international salons, galleries, and collectors across three continents. Schedule your own session →
