Mary McDonnell (b. 1959) is an American abstract painter known for expressive works that translate her sensory experience of the natural world into gestural marks, layered color, and rhythmic movement. Born in Saginaw, Michigan, she studied art at Western Michigan University, receiving her BFA in 1981, and later earned her MFA from Syracuse University in 1984.

McDonnell’s paintings are characterized by their energetic surfaces and physical approach to mark-making. Often working with layered washes of ink, oil, and other media, she employs unconventional tools such as bamboo, sticks, and other natural implements to create vigorous lines and textures. Her process emphasizes spontaneity and perception, allowing color and movement to emerge organically across the surface of the painting.

Influenced by the legacy of Abstract Expressionism and the New York School, McDonnell has developed a distinctive visual language that combines gestural abstraction with an intimate response to nature. Her work has been presented in numerous solo and group exhibitions in the United States and internationally, including shows in New York, Boston, Houston, and Vienna. McDonnell lives and works in New York, where she continues to produce paintings and works on paper that explore the physical and emotional resonance of color, gesture, and landscape.