Mary Shannon Will, Cowgirl, 2001. Inkjet on paper, 30" x 22". Courtesy of the Estate of Mary Shannon Will.
Mary Shannon Will (1944–2021) was an accomplished senior Calgary artist known for her intricately patterned and colourful ceramics, paintings, drawings and prints. Born in Sampson, New York, she studied ceramics at the University of Iowa (1964–1967), the Tuscarora Pottery Summer School (1966–1967), and the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque (1970–1971). She moved to Calgary with her husband, artist John Will, in 1971. For the remainder of her career, Shannon Will worked between her studios in Calgary and Albuquerque. She consistently exhibited her work in venues across North America. Her career survey, Mary Shannon Will: People, Places and Things, was curated by Diana Sherlock for the Nickle Galleries at the University of Calgary (2020–2021). Numerous private and public collections include her work, notably the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Canada Council Art Bank, University of Lethbridge Art Collection, Art Gallery of Alberta, Glenbow Museum, Nickle Galleries, and University of Alberta Museums Art Collection.