digital art by mary coleman

Artist’s Statement:

This series of works depicting figures in PPE was completed in 2025 and reflects my enduring interest in medical history and infectious disease. That fascination began at the age of five, when I first encountered an article on the Black Death in National Geographic. From then on, I sought out every resource I could, asking my parents to help me find books at the library, urging them to read aloud, and even attempting to bring these subjects into the classroom. Although my teachers were rarely persuaded, I did once succeed in having The Masque of the Red Death read aloud on Halloween.

These early experiences formed the foundation of my artistic practice today. I am drawn to the ways epidemic disease has shaped human history, both medically and culturally, and my work seeks to translate that enduring curiosity into a visual language.

Stiff (Acrylic on watercolor paper. 16×20”. February 2025)

Infected (Acrylic on canvas. 16×20”. November 2024)

Exhaustion (18×24”. Acrylic on watercolor paper. October 2024)

Self Portrait at Dammasch State Hospital (Acrylic on canvas paper. 2024. 16 x 20 inches)

The Window (Acrylic on paper. November 2023. 11 X 14 inches)

Image of Mary Coleman

BIO: Mary Coleman is an artist and poet based in Portland, Oregon. She lived in New Zealand for 11 years, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Art and Design. Her art has been included in numerous local exhibitions in Portland, Oregon. You can view her visual work at http://www.fivebluemarks.com or follow her on Instagram @ehloaf.