Mary Vinnedge first experimented with pastels in elementary school and loved the medium. As a 30-something adult, she dabbled in pastels to do portraits of her daughters during community-center classes in Mesquite, Texas. Then she put away her pastels for about 25 years while focusing on responsibilities as a print journalist and mom. Upon moving to Galveston in 2015, she enrolled in art classes at Galveston College with local artist Suzanne Peterson. Later, when the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) offered pastels classes, she took four from fellow Art League member Gay Paratore. Vinnedge’s subjects range from birds, landscapes, flowers and still lifes to the occasional portrait.
Before semi-retiring, she was an editor and reporter for publications including SUCCESS magazine and The Dallas Morning News. She still does freelance writing and editing. In the early 2000s, Vinnedge worked as a marketing communications specialist for the nonprofit Texas A&M Foundation, and she channeled that experience into her volunteer work for Galveston Art League.