03/08/2026
Today is International Women's Day! All month we are spotlighting women artists from the collection. Today, we're featuring Mary Roberson, an artist featured in both our permanent collection and our annual Western Visions Art Show + Sale.
Roberson paints wildlife and farm scenes mostly in her studio in Hailey, Idaho. Her studio work is based on hours of observation and quick oil sketches done at National Parks and farming communities. Her love for all critters, even insects, is expressed through painting, drawing, and monotypes. Her purpose is straightforward, as are her paintings, “I paint because it’s joyous and intriguing, and with each painting comes my way of communicating to the viewer, the gift of nature. My artistic goals are simplicity and spontaneity. When I focus, I can get out of my own way and let creativity flow, but for me, the flow is only achieved through practice and trust in my own abilities.”
Mary Roberson (United States, b. 1948), The Mystic Forest, 2005. Oil on canvas. 48 x 96 inches. National Museum of Wildlife Art. © Mary Roberson.
