A Providence born artist, Jennings earned her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1931 as well as her Masters degree in education at Rhode Island College.   Wife to the prominent Rhode Island based artist, Wilmer Jennings, Mary remained a hugely influential figure in the local Rhode Island art scene as a valuable member of the Providence Art Club and Wickford Art Association.  While much of her creative energies were devoted to her 17 years of teaching in Providence public elementary schools, Mary Jennings is recognized as a talented instructor and artist, exhibiting her works in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Rhode Island School of Design is among the country's oldest and one of the most prestigious colleges specializing in fine arts and design located in Providence, RI. It was founded in 1877 when the 34 members of the Rhode Island Women’s Centennial Commission voted to invest their group’s surplus funding of $1,675 in founding The Rhode Island School of Design. The school was then lead by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf and has consistently remained at the forefront of art and design education.   - written by Keila Davis