06/01/2026
Mary Forney featured Fresh Art Tour Artist teacher and maker inspired by the bluffs, valleys and unique habitat in the Driftless Region of southeastern Minnesota. Whether you are an artist or an avid observer, each season in the region holds numerous views of natural beauty.
The Driftless Region was undisturbed by glacial activity and has preserved unique topography and wildlife. The distribution of trees in this region is interesting. Oak, hickory and other broadleaf forests have dominated the area. Because of a variety of disturbances , maple and basswood forests are gaining dominance and threaten the future of these rare oak forest habitats. Her collection of Drawings in the Driftless illustrates her love of these landforms and forests.
Mary’s interest and study of nature has also led to her a fascination with patterns and close up studies of microscopic images. The collection Patterns in Nature is a growing number of prints and oil pastels dedicated to these snapshots of nature.
Her love of art has also included a career teaching art to a variety of ages. She entered her teaching career with a B.S. in Art Education from Concordia College, Seward, NE. And later earned a M.A. in Studio Art from UWS Superior, WI. She is an active member of the artist’s community where she lives in Winona, MN. She also exhibits her art in a co-op gallery in Alma, WI, called Stumptown Gallery.