By M. Sebastian Araujo

For as along as there have been cameras, people have been taking pictures. Sometimes the camera lands in the hands of someone who not only takes pictures but captures in an instant the image and the essence of a place. Mary is one of those amazing people whos imagery takes you right a place and time. Letting you almost smell the salty air of old Cape Cod. Recently I found out a bit more about just how she does it…

What in the World around you affects your creativity?
I respond to texture, layers, what’s underneath it all. A photograph is simply a recording of light and dark, time and distance – layers of texture and light. The bathtub photo represents all of those things to me. The world around me is an opportunity, a chance to exist not only in the moment but in the past and to create preservation and contemplation for the future.

Why do people respond to Art?
I think what most people respond to is a memory, a feeling or a point of view. Everyone always remarks that art is subjective. We all have different life experiences, internal conflicts or joyous memories. What I see is not necessarily what others will see in my photographs and that’s ok. The point is to make you think, ask you to sit awhile and contemplate.

Was there a “Shinning Lightbulb” moment in life when you knew you were or had to be an Artist?
Oh yes, absolutely. In 1989 I opened my first vintage store. I photographed all my product for my website, which was one of the first vintage clothing websites that existed during that time. I found that my favorite thing to do was create my own product, such as lace jackets sewn from old lace tablecloths purchased in a Cape Cod antique shop, and to decorate my windows – photographing vignettes of delightful objects. My website was picked up by In Style Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine and the rest is history. Later in life I created three shops on Etsy: MaryMarysVintage.etsy, AmericanMadeJewelry.etsy, CapeCodPhoto.etsy. All three shops are in operation today and all three allow me to be creative and incorporate the things that I love into photography.

What is it about Cape Cod that keeps creative people either living there full time or drawing them to its shores?
Cape Cod is a special destination for me. Since I was a young child, Summers always included time on Cape Cod. I “married into” Cape Cod and inherited jars and jars of Sandwich Glass from my Mother-in-law from the original factory in Sandwich, MA. I created beautiful sailboats and jewelry from this glass and photographed it for sale and show. I have read all of Joseph C. Lincoln’s charming books about Old Cape Cod. His interpretation of Cape Cod is the Cape that I love, the historical nuance, the authentic charm, the original people and character like no other place in the world. Whether you are visiting Hyannis or Nantucket, the charm of the Cape keeps you coming back year after year.

To see more of Mary’s work Click here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CapeCodPhoto

As Summer approaches, the shores of Cape Cod began to fill with visitors, it is good to know that amid the revelry Art and Life continue on. The Artist and Art has a special almost Iconic place on Cape Cod . The creative vibes seem to flow out with each tide helping to make the world around us a better place… These days we need it more than ever, don’t you think?