Walking into Mary Engelbreit’s studio is like stepping into one of her storybooks — a whimsical, bright space brimming with preciousness and a sprinkle of sass. Eight decorative birdhouses are perched on top of a short wall by the entry. There’s a nook with a checker-print sofa and images of Scottish terriers on the throw pillows. A cheerful quilt hangs on the wall above the sofa, and a cacophony of dolls, figurines and stuffed animals are crammed on the shelves nearby.
St. Louis Post Dispatch: How did Mary Engelbreit get so woke?
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The artist who created this licensing empire, with more than 13,000 pieces of usable art including calendars, books, tea sets, ribbons and fabrics, is a 67-year-old St. Louisan calling out her own sheltered world of cuteness.
Engelbreit enters her 2,800-square-foot Central West End workspace wearing a printed floral scarf and red framed glasses, appearing every bit the Midwestern grandmother you might expect.
That is, until the conversation gets political.
“Now I’m focused on how many senators are willing to sell their souls to cover up for this moron,” she says during a recent visit. If there’s any doubt about who she’s referring to, a scroll through her Instagram feed makes the subject of her ire crystal clear.
“This is WAY more than Democrat/Republican,” she wrote in response to a follower upset by one of her recent posts. “This is moral/immoral. You can be a Republican and not support Trump. But if you do support him, you are supporting a white supremacist, uneducated, lying, grifting, racist, narcissistic, evil sexual predator, and all of your ‘Can’t we all just love one another?' is meaningless and insulting to all the people Trump seeks to disenfranchise.”
But tell us how you really feel, Mary.
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By the time Engelbreit sits down at her desk, she knows what she’s going to draw. An idea has been percolating, and she’s ready to get into her flow. She starts sketching in pencil, erasing and adjusting as she draws, usually on 8-by-10-inch paper. She uses colored pencils to make the drawing pop and does all the shading and details by hand.
“You’re constantly making decisions,” she says. “It definitely changes as it goes.”
Once she has the sketch down, she goes over the pencil lines in pen and ink. Then, she adds the flat colors with markers. Lastly, she shades the entire image with colored pencils. Her desk is surrounded with containers filled with hundreds of pencils and markers grouped by color.
But tell us how you really feel, Mary.
•••
By the time Engelbreit sits down at her desk, she knows what she’s going to draw. An idea has been percolating, and she’s ready to get into her flow. She starts sketching in pencil, erasing and adjusting as she draws, usually on 8-by-10-inch paper. She uses colored pencils to make the drawing pop and does all the shading and details by hand.
“You’re constantly making decisions,” she says. “It definitely changes as it goes.”
Once she has the sketch down, she goes over the pencil lines in pen and ink. Then, she adds the flat colors with markers. Lastly, she shades the entire image with colored pencils. Her desk is surrounded with containers filled with hundreds of pencils and markers grouped by color.
It might take five to six hours for a single drawing — longer if it’s for a calendar.
Her artwork changed forever the day police fatally shot African American teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson.
The morning she heard about the shooting, in August 2014, she felt compelled to draw. Years earlier, her son Evan had died when he was near Brown’s age. She and her husband adopted his biracial daughter as their own. Brown’s death triggered those painful emotions — and her anger.
The image that emerged that day was unlike the lighthearted drawings for which she’s known. A black mother held a black child in her arms, a tear falling from her eye. She looks at a newspaper that reads: "Hands up! Don’t shoot!"
Comments
Jo Ann —
I “woke” up a long time ago and I’m with you Mary…something must be done to stop the Trumpatization of this country. Keep up with your stance. I have loved your work from since forever it seems. I’ve saved all the issues of the magazine I once subscribed to…figured they’d be worth something someday. I have about 25 of your tea cups and full place settings for 8. I also recently purchased several of your fairys for my garden but for someone to say that you don’t have to worry about where your next meal comes from…just shows their ignorance. Art is work and you’ve worked hard to earn all that you have. Unfortunately, I have to wonder about people who think Trump is handling the economy better than Biden but then they probably voted for him and are as misinformed and gullible as any trump follower would be. Anyway, sorry for the rant. Love you.
Julie —
Oh my gosh, Mary! I have loved your work for so long, and it has inspired my joy, given me hope, and reflected the possibility this world has to offer. I just read your comments about DT and instantly realized why I love you. Your integrity and appreciation for life is there in your artwork, encouraging us all to reach for the best parts of ourselves. I am so sad that our country seems to have forgotten those parts, and I hope we will find our way back to the little golden path that directs us to excellence. Be well. Kind regards to you.
Laurel Haase —
Dear Mary l jumped on line to order my calendar. Yours is the only calendar l have used for years among so many products over the years ! Unfortunately my pocket calendar l purchased in December WILL be the last item l will ever order from you. Your political comments are what l consider vile. When will you people understand we don’t care what some of you wealthy elite think politically. I won’t even begin to tell you how l feel about Biden regime has created such evil in this country. The only way you will figure out the attitude you spew WILL hurt your business. I have so many friends when they read what you’ve said will no longer support your business. I guess money talks. I’m sad but will not buy or spend another cent on your products. I’d really rethink your remarks because fighting this disgusting wokeness is not going away. I’m taking down and getting rid of all the things l have from Mary Englebreit world. I don’t want to live there anymore.
Diane Phillips —
I love your work and because you are so talented you are in a class that does not have to worry about where your next meal will come from.
Pres. Biden did absolutely nothing for the middle class other than make higher prices on virtually everything.
Pres. Trump is tried and true and do his best to make America affordable again.
Mary Carmen Williams —
Hello Ms. Mary,
I pray all is well. Do you think you will ever stock the “When In Doubt Wear Red” 80-page journals again? I sure hope so. It was a great and welcomed find in a local Dollar Tree a few years back. Thanks and Take Care