Quote credit - Rumi

About

Mary Zabrin is a professional calligrapher, artist and teacher living in the Chicago area. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the lettering arts and works closely with private clients to create fine art calligraphy. Her work focuses on both historical and contemporary scripts. She especially enjoys exploring the use of unconventional tools and layering techniques in her art. Mary has studied with such noted artists as John Stevens, Yves Leterme, Yukimi Annand and Sheila Waters among others.

Her work has been selected for numerous juried exhibitions and has been featured in the international publication Letter Arts Review. In 2019, Mary won the prestigious Newberry Library Purchase Prize Award for her handmade Coptic bound book titled “Book of Numbers”. The book is in the permanent collection of the Newberry Library in Chicago. In addition to her work at the Newberry Library, Mary’s calligraphic art can be found in private collections around the world.

Mary began teaching in 2017 and is currently on staff at Benedictine University in Lisle, IL where she teaches a course in Lettering and Layout. She joined the Chicago Calligraphy Collective in 1996. Mary has been a dedicated member of the Board of Directors since 2013 and served as president from 2017 thru March of 2020.

AWARDS

  • 2019 Newberry Purchase Prize: “Book of Numbers”

PUBLICATIONS

  • Letter Arts Review 32:2, Editor’s letter-featured artist

  • Letter Arts Review 30:1, Annual Juried Issue - 2016

  • Letter Arts Review 29:1, Annual Juried Issue - 2015

  • Letter Arts Review 26:4, Greeting Card Issue - 2012

RECENT EXHIBITIONS

  • Benedictine University Art Faculty Biennial, Lisle, IL 2020

  • EXPLORATION, Juried exhibit, North Central College, Naperville, IL 2019

  • EXPLORATION, Juried exhibit, Newberry Library, Chicago - 2017

  • EXPLORATION, Juried exhibit, Newberry Library, Chicago - 2016

  • EXPLORATION, Juried exhibit, Newberry Library, Chicago - 2015

  • Beautiful Writing, Tall Grass Arts Association, Park Forest, IL - 2014

  • EXPLORATION, Juried exhibit, Newberry Library, Chicago - 2014

  • EXLORATION, Juried exhibit, Newberry Library, Chicago - 2013

  • An Exploration of Words & Letters, South Shore Arts, Munster, IN - 2012