Mary O'Connor lives in Old Lyme on the Connecticut shore, source of inspiration for much of her work. As a writer and an artist, she is strongly influenced by simple observation of the world's natural life and beauty. The resulting realization that one need not look far to find an element of peace, of celebration, of joy, provides much of the underlying inspiration for many of the poems that appear in Dreams of a Wingless Child, as well as for Five-Star Joy, her upcoming book to be published soon.

With a career background rooted in journalism and extending through the worlds of marketing, public relations and the arts, Mary  has written on subjects as diverse as silverware and sailboats, as sensitive as children’s health and well being, and as engaging as rallying support for our troops overseas. Her work has appeared in print and electronic news and feature stories, sales promotion literature, speeches and non-profit fund raisers.

Her poetry, read in nature and inspirational journals and honored in national competition, has been published as a book of inspirational verse, Dreams of a Wingless Child. Mary also enjoys painting wildlife and landscapes in watercolor and acrylics, some of which can be seen on this site, as well as traveling and photography. Click here for a slideshow of some of her photos from her recent wildlife safari in Tanzania, Africa.

Recipient of a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY, Mary infuses a sensitivity to human nature and the world’s social and political challenges into both her life and her writing. A frequent public  speaker and workshop facilitator, Mary teaches poetry writing to inmates at York Correctional Institute, the Connecticut state prison for women, is an active volunteer in the community social service arena and serves on the board of the Judy Dworin Performance Project, Hartford, CT, a nonprofit organization that uses the arts as a catalyst for social change.

It is, however, her ear for what people have to say, combined with her eye for the joy to be captured in the world around us, that best define her work.  It is what makes her art and words sing.