Exhibits:

The National Arts Club RoundTable Exhibits

The National Arts Club Exhibiting Members’ Shows

Salmagundi Club Exhibits

Audubon Artists

Art of Our Century Gallery

Light, Space and Time Online Gallery

Westbeth Gallery Yearly Exhibits

Washington Square Outdoor Exhibits ( 5 yr. exhibitor)

Friends Without a Border, Photographic Auction Sales

The Feminist Press, Photographic Auction Sales 

Cornelia Street Cafe

Joyous Spring Gallery

Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, Mass. ; Mixed Media Show

Nina’s Choice Gallery, Bergdorf-Goodman, NYC; One Woman Show

Manhasset Outdoor Art Exhibit

Walnut Street gallery, Philadelphia, Pa.

Three Rivers Art Festival, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Photographs in numerous private collections worldwide

About

Photography by Mary McKenna Ridge 

Traveling the streets of New York City and elsewhere, day and night, is a joy, and I’m always on the lookout for a “perfect” scenario. Shooting in the evening and at night without a flash often allows existing light and shadows to speak for themselves.

Moods are always “there,” but time has to be on my side. If one pauses for a few seconds or longer, an opportunity may be lost. A “must” is an emotional connection to an image, an individual, or a crowd, in any setting.

Color, composition, design, and texture are as integral to photography as they are to painting and drawing. With a background in painting, graphic design, and art education, I strive to use these elements in my photographic work.

A cityscape can appear as lush and beautiful as a meadow in the countryside, as quiet as a deserted rural train station, or as energetic as the crowds in Times Square, Delhi, or Rome! Likewise, the skies and water exhibit atmospheric changes hour by hour, day by day, all of which together or separately can invoke lovely and dazzling scenarios.

We are all affected by our surroundings, whether through nature or man-made works, and no matter where we may be, the human footprint is there as well; in joy, sorrow, turmoil, at rest, or in contemplation. These images are all part of my life and world.

I shoot in color and black and white, using digital full frame, as well as 35 mm SLR, and occasionally my cell phone.

Education Background:

Mary holds a Master’s Degree in Design Communications from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn. Her Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education was earned at Edinboro University, Pa. In addition, she has studied at the International Center of Photography, NYU, and at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.

Professional Memberships:

Tha Salmagundi Club

The International Center of Photography

  • Phi Delta Honorary Art Fraternity

  • The Camera Club of New York

  • Aperture Foundation

  • Audubon Artists

  • World Photography Organization

Recent Awards:

  • Salmagundi Club, Certificates of Merit, 2016 and 2018

  • Salmagundi Club, First Prize, 2021

  • Online Gallery “Light, Space, and Time”

    Nine Special Merit Awards and Three Special Recognition Awards

    One Placement in the Top Fifteen

    Subjects: Abstract Photography, Figurative, Botanicals, Patterns, Nature,

    Cityscapes, Seascapes, Primary Colors, Miscellaneous