Mary Sully

Mary Sully (1896–1963) was a Yankton Dakota avant-garde artist. Her work remained largely unknown until the early 21st century. Sully is best known for her colored-pencil triptychs and "personality prints," which often depicted celebrities such as Amelia Earhart, Gertrude Stein, and Greta Garbo. Her panels, characterized by abstract forms, symbols, rich colors, and symmetry, often appear kaleidoscopic in nature.

Her designs draw from and incorporate classic Native American designs — specifically Navajo textiles and Plains parfleches, painted rawhide containers — while also aligning with the Art Nouveau and Bauhaus movements. Although she was active during the early decades of the 20th century, when Native American art and Art Nouveau were gaining prominence in mainstream fine art exhibitions, Sully was considered revolutionary for her synthesis of these two genres.