Mary Ryan shows her featured painting, “Flowers on a Rock Wall,” inspired by a photo taken while on an anniversary trip to Dublin, Ireland.

Mary Ryan of South Abington is the featured Artist of the Month for December. While she herself began painting around 1978, Mary explains that she began painting with the Dunmore Activity Hub group about a year before the new community center was constructed.

“It has been a wonderful experience to be a part of a group of such vibrant, talented, generous, kind and thoughtful men and women who enjoy painting as much as I do,” she says. “They are a joy to be with.”

Mary gets most of her ideas from photographs of places she has visited, and this month’s featured painting, “Flowers On a Rock Wall” was painted from a photo taken in Dublin, Ireland, while she was on a trip to celebrate her 40th wedding anniversary.

Mrs. Ryan was quick to praise the group instructor, Jill Swerise, saying, “Jill has been a wonderful instructor. She encourages and supports our efforts with patience and insightful suggestions to help us improve and grow our painting skills.”