About Mary Ida

Mary Ida Rolape creates artwork inspired by the beauty of Southern Maryland. Working in bronze, wood, and marble, she captures subjects such as graceful great blue herons, colorful songbirds, and nostalgic farm scenes that reflect the region’s natural charm and rural heritage.
 

Mary Ida is personally involved in every step of her process. She begins each piece as an original sculpture in wood or clay, then creates the mold and casting herself rather than relying on a foundry to produce exact duplicates. Because the materials and patinas react a little differently each time, every piece in a limited edition has its own unique character. Her original wood sculptures, whether stained or painted, offer another interpretation of the same subject.
 

Before focusing on sculpture, Mary Ida worked in watercolor and acrylic and studied through the Smithsonian Institution Associates Program and with artists affiliated with the Torpedo Factory. Introduced to wood sculpture in 1999, she has continued to refine her craft and now creates art full time, blending the precision of woodcarving with the expressive freedom of sculpture.