As a descendent of Cherokee-Irish Methodist circuit riders and Cherokee sharecropers with a degree in English from the University of Alabama and a Masters Degree in Library Media, Mary Beth feels masterfully lead to share her interest in Native American art history, American Indian art, Cherokee art and Native American storytelling through her floor cloths, placemats, deskmats, wallhangings and journals. As an historian she feels that producing archival quality Native American artwork is as important culturally as it is good business. While caring for a Native American art floor cloth, wallhanging, placemat or deskmat is as simple as wiping it with a damp cloth, journal covers may simply be removed and washed with towels to clean. All of her American Indian art work will survive 100+ years as achival quality heirlooms.
While her journals will last 100 years with their sketchbook weight recycled paper, floor cloths have survivied till present time that were painted in the 1800's and paint has only improved since then. Mary Beth particularly loves the stories that ancient Americans tell us through their American Indian art. Much of her inspiration for the floor cloths comes from Native American rock art and American Indian cave art and Cherokee archeological artifacts. As a storyteller, she believes that these ancient Native American artifacts tell us stories and she enjoys retelling these stories through her Cherokee art.
She began creating Native American art and crafts over fifteen years ago to help herself remember interesting historical facts that she would come across in her studies. As a Cherokee Indian, Mary Beth has particularly enjoyed her studies relating to that culture. Many people are not aware of the high degree of civilization the Cherokee enjoyed in the old South. The Cherokee were making floor cloths to cover dirt floors in the 1700's according to Adair, an historian who lived with them for a while during the 18th century. They painted pictures perhaps much like Mary Beth's Dalala which depicts the ivory-billed pileated woodpecker once thought to be extinct.

Today Mary Beth lives in a four room Creole cottage along the path of the Trail of Tears Corridor in Huntsville, Alabama. She has extensively researched the many trails which make up the Trail of Tears and creates stunning deskmats reflecting these trails. Email her regarding these special order deskmats if interested.


By the way, Mary Beth says ungalwelapoma is Australian aborigine for “The gal tells us poems (stories)”.

When Mary Beth isn't working on her art, she loves to cook. Here she is in the kitchen preparing her delicious Lasagna.