WHYTE, Mary 1953-

Personal

Born December 10, 1953, in Cleveland, OH; daughter of Donald Robert (an executive) and Elizabeth Reid (Patton) Whyte; married Smith B. Coleman (a gallery owner), April 23, 1977. Ethnicity: "White." Education: Temple University, B.F.A., 1976. Religion: Christian.

Addresses

Home— 1007 Embassy Row Way, Johns Island, SC 29455. Offıce— Coleman Fine Art, 45 Hasell St., Charleston, SC 29401; fax: 843-722-2552. E-mail— info@colemanfineart.com.

Career

Writer; professional artist, 1976—. Exhibitions: Artwork represented in collections at Bell Atlantic, Easter Seals Society, University of Pennsylvania, and West Chester University; work exhibited in solo and group shows, including those of the American Watercolor Society, Allied Artists of America, Pennsylvania Water-color Society, South Carolina Watercolor Society, Pennsylvania State Capitol, and Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors.

Member

Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, South Carolina Water-color Society, Philadelphia Watercolor Club, Charleston Artists Guild.

Awards, Honors

Best Books selection, Parents magazine, and Child magazine, both 1996, both for I Love You the Purplest.

Writings

(And illustrator) Watercolor for the Serious Beginner, Watson-Guptill (New York, NY), 1997.

(And illustrator) Alfreda's World, Wyrick (Charleston, SC), 2003.

Contributor to art magazines, including American Artist.

ILLUSTRATOR

Constance W. McGeorge, Boomer's Big Day, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 1994.

Constance W. McGeorge, The Snow Riders, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 1995.

Constance W. McGeorge, Boomer Goes to School, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 1996.

Barbara Joosse, I Love You the Purplest, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 1996.

Constance W. McGeorge, Waltz of the Scarecrows, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 1998.

Jean Van Leeuwen, The Tickle Stories, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 1998.

Constance W. McGeorge, Boomer's Big Surprise, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 1999.

Helen Ketteman, Mama's Way, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2001.

Carol Crane, P Is for Palmetto, Sleeping Bear Press (Chelsea, MI), 2002.

Pam Muñoz Ryan, A Box of Friends, Gingham Dog Press (Columbus, OH), 2002.

Constance W. McGeorge, Chestnut, Peachtree Publishers (Atlanta, GA), 2004.

Work in Progress

Numerous portrait commissions.

Sidelights

Mary Whyte once remarked: "Art has always been a major focus of my life. I sold my first drawing when I was fourteen years old and had my first solo art exhibition when I was sixteen. My husband and I have an art gallery, Coleman Fine Art, located in the historic district of Charleston, South Carolina.

"I illustrated my first children's book, Boomer's Big Day, in 1994. The book, a collaborative effort with author Constance W. McGeorge, was inspired by my golden retriever, Boomer. The book prompted the sequel Boomer Goes to School, and since then Boomer and I have made many delightful visits to schools and bookstores.

"I live on a barrier island, and from my studio, I can hear owls and the faint sound of the ocean. I generally spend forty hours per week in my studio, illustrating books, painting portraits, and writing for artists' magazines. Boomer is always by my side, either under the drawing table asleep or jangling his leash to tell me it's time for a walk on the beach."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

American Artist, July, 2000, Mary Whyte, "Skin Deep," p. 28.

Booklist, July, 1994, pp. 1955-1956; January 1, 1996, pp. 847-848; April 15, 1996, p. 1446; October 15, 1996, p. 436; May 1, 1999, Lauren Peterson, review of Boomer's Big Surprise, p. 1600; July, 2003, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of A Box of Friends, p. 1898.

Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 1996, p. 450.

Publishers Weekly, April 29, 1996, p. 74; September 16, 1996, p. 82; January 29, 2001, review of Mama's Way, p. 89.

School Library Journal, July, 1996, p. 68; March, 2001, Rosalyn Pierini, review of Mama's Way, p. 214; September, 2003, Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, review of A Box of Friends, p. 189.

ONLINE

Coleman Fine Art, http://www.colemanfineart.com/ (August 24, 2002).*