Mary Solberg

Mary Catherine Solberg is a contemporary figurative painter based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her work fuses classical painting traditions with contemporary symbolism, drawing inspiration from Renaissance masters and religious iconography while engaging modern culture, memory, and humor. Solberg’s paintings often function as contemporary icons—layered, weathered surfaces that suggest age, devotion, and reverence, while incorporating unexpected pop-cultural references. Through an innovative mixed-media process, she builds textured surfaces that evoke both the patina of history and the immediacy of contemporary life. Sacred visual language is intentionally paired with familiar or playful imagery, inviting viewers to consider what we value, sanctify, and protect in the present moment. Solberg has exhibited in numerous juried and solo exhibitions, including the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Her painting The Competition was featured on the cover of American Artwork 2025.