Mary Lou Stewart received a B.F.A. in Fine Arts from the Kansas City Art Institute in Sculpture and a M.F.A. in Fine Arts in Painting from Mills College in Oakland, CA. She has taught undergraduate art courses at numerous universities and colleges including 25 years at Elmhurst University teaching drawing and painting, as well as overseeing the K–12 art licensure program and serving as department chair for over a decade. She has been a practicing artist for over 30 years creating both large (e.g., 7’ x 11’) and small (e.g., 8” x 10”) scale abstract acrylic paintings emphasizing pattern and texture. Her work has been widely exhibited in one person and group exhibitions both in national and international exhibitions. She has received several honors and is included in museums and private collections nationally. She is currently a Professor Emeritus from Elmhurst University and maintains a studio in the East Pilsen Art District in Chicago.