Meet Mary Lupton

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mary Lupton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mary, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

From the time I could hold a pencil, I knew I wanted to make art for the rest of my life. I would spend all day drawing, coloring, and thinking about it when I wasn’t. At the time, I was struggling with speech and in a high-stress environment. I felt the best way to express myself was through art. When I saw other artists’ work as a child, especially in the picture books my mother would read me before bed, I knew I wanted to be an illustrator. So I would take sheets of paper, staple them together, and make my own books about fairies, superheroes, and strange worlds. My peers saw me as an artist, and it was often assumed I would grow up to be one. As I moved through high school and into college, the encouragement to pursue an art career shifted more toward discouragement. I heard much talk about how I would struggle as an artist and that I should pursue a STEM career instead, and do art as a hobby, so I pursued my secondary interest in electrical engineering.

Toward the end of college, I knew I wasn’t enjoying my career path. I was experiencing complications with lupus and depression, and I was finding no time for my true passion. About two weeks after graduation, I received an email from Holiday House. They had seen some of my artwork and were interested in commissioning a book cover. I almost didn’t believe it was real. Since then, I’ve been doing what I’ve wanted to do.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a full-time artist who loves to create acrylic paintings, ink and alcohol marker drawings, and digital art. My artwork is a collection of vibrant, abstract pieces from my imagination and dreams. Human figures, nature, and space are major focuses of my work, often with Cherokee and Southeastern Mississippian themes integrated throughout. This helps me tell stories through my art about the world around us. I also enjoy making sci-fi and fantasy-themed art.

I have illustrated a book cover for Holiday House for the novel ‘Find Her’ by Ginger Reno. I also have my debut 32-page illustrated children’s book, ‘Spirit Shadow’, also by Ginger Reno, to be released March 17, 2026, by Holiday House. Aside from creating literary illustrations, I participate in competitions and art markets, having just recently won 1st place at the 2025 Hushtola Art Market in two different categories (Digital Arts and Drawings). I find great fulfillment in connecting with other artists like me. I leave feeling inspired and so grateful to the people who stopped by my booth to see my art.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Resourcefulness is a quality that arose when I lacked what I needed and couldn’t get it, and helped me survive in many ways. I still managed to look around and create art with whatever I had. Another quality that’s important to me as an artist is sensitivity. Like many artists, I’m a sensitive person, and my art reflects a wide range of emotions. Allowing your sensitivity to inform your artwork helps it connect with others. The last quality that is very important for me as an artist is retaining a childlike curiosity about the world. I’m always asking “Why?’ and so I keep learning new things. Keeping that curiosity alive helps you create art that touches as many souls as possible, regardless of age.

My best advice to folks just starting their journey is to stay open to learning from everything, even if it’s not related to art. When you’re experiencing artist’s block or frustration with a work in progress, that is your cue to do something else for an hour or even a day or two! Read a book, try a new experience, go outside, learn from others, try a new hobby, just do something different. When I do this, I always come back to my art with new ideas, a better perspective, and more confidence.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

My family and my Cherokee community. We’ve all faced many challenges and continue to do so. The struggles I’ve endured have led to developing lupus, which remains a constant challenge. But through it all, so much of my family and community have steadfastly believed in me and each other. The Cherokee word “Gadugi” means “community works together cooperatively for the common good.” With our shared values, struggles, and successes, I’m determined to face whatever challenges come next.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maryluptonart.com/
• Instagram: @maryluptonart

Image Credits

For my headshot photo, “Joseph Lupton” is the photographer.