
OUR HISTORY, OUR VOICES PROJECT
The Mary Ruden Exhibit
About Her Exhibit…
I am Mary, an artist with a focus on natural subjects such as orchids, butterflies & joyful expressions such as music.
My love for art was influenced by my Welsh roots, and my ability to explore museums and gardens in Europe.
I am active in the Knoxville Arts Alliance and I participate in art shows in the state of Tennessee as well as surrounding states.
For Women’s History Month I have chosen to display a couple of different pieces I have curated over the years.
The 9-minute video includes the history of conditions for working women before labor laws and has the bronze bust of the famous Knoxville suffragist and quilts I made to honor women’s rights.
The pieces displayed include:
1.) My “Anne M. Davis Quilt” which includes wildflowers, butterflies, and native plants in it. It is also on display at Arrowmont in Gatlinburg, TN.
2.) My bronze bust of Knoxville Suffragist Lizzie Crozier French on display at City Hall, Salisbury, NC.
3.) My life-size drawings of Tennessee Woman Suffragists.
4.) A quilt on display at Arromont in Gatlinburg to commemorate the Centennial of Women’s Right to Vote.

Click to view images at larger scale.
Connect with Mary Ruden »
Instagram: @MaryRudenArt | Website: https://maryruden.com
More Exhibits
The Archie Liggett Exhibit
I am inspired by grandmother. She grew up in the Roaring Fork community in Gatlinburg, TN. She lived to be 94 yrs old and loved to make things. First, out of need then for joy. She was fantastic. I hand stamp metal and vintage flatware to make jewelry and gifts. I have some of my work in local shops in Clinton, TN where I live.
The Shannon Deana Johnson Exhibit
I am a Knoxville, TN based mixed media painter. My process is intuitive. I work to create a balance between harmony and contrast, simplicity and accumulation, and stillness and motion. As the painting progresses, I often add more concrete elements such as botanical or figurative shapes. In this latest series called, “Story of a Girl,” I have been exploring the use of imagery connected to the idea of femininity and aspects of it that are meaningful to me.
The Mary Ruden Exhibit
My love for art was influenced by my Welsh roots, and my ability to explore museums and gardens in Europe. I am active in the Knoxville Arts Alliance and I participate in art shows in the state of Tennessee as well as surrounding states. For Women's History Month I have chosen to display a couple of different pieces I have curated over the years.