The Artist behind the Art
Newfoundland-born Mary Anne Donovan found a love for hand crafts and fibre arts the moment she picked up her first knitting needles. In 2004, a career in Food Science brought her to the village of Chester, Nova Scotia, where the beauty of the South Shore and the gentle life pace informed a deeper pursuit of the arts she yearned to explore.
Drawn to the meditative rhythm of tapestry weaving, Mary Anne has spent
several years honing her weaving skills and unique artistic style, creating a warm aesthetic at House of Woolly Thyme, based from her home in the colourful seaside town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
Her tapestries are inspired by a love of nature, of rugged coastlines and rolling tides, of the contrasting and comparable beauty of the beloved places she has called home. The images that Mary Anne creates on her loom are a reflection of the sweet days spent exploring with her husband, three daughters and mini Aussie.
Each of Mary Anne's woven pieces is made by hand using natural yarns and artisan fibres, creating both abstract and representational depictions with rich textures and organic shapes.
Mary Anne finds joy in sharing her creative lifestyle with others, encouraging everyone to find their creative passion. She has designed a collection of DIY tapestry weaving kits and teaches weaving workshops to impart her love of weaving, while nurturing a growing, passionate community of modern fibre artists throughout Nova Scotia.
Featured in:
Current exhibit at Pentper Gallery in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Style at Home Magazine (July/August 2023)
Fibre Fall Exhibition at the Chester Art Centre in Chester, Nova Scotia (October 2020)
Now Lunenburg County Magazine (2019)
Mary Anne is a member of:
Lunenburg Art Society
Visual Arts Nova Scotia
CARFAC Maritimes