Mary began to learn painting at an early age, initially from her mother and aunties. She first learned her own Dreaming stories from her parents and relatives, then began painting traditional, iconic representations of her Country and Dreaming stories.
Mary’s father, Jack Yaula Jagamara Long, was also a well known artist. Her mother, Ruby Wana Nalyiri was an artist too, and taught her from a young age. She was invited to join the painting group at Willowra Art Centre, where she further developed her skills, and was included in several group exhibitions. She progressed steadily over several years and became a solo artist, gradually selling and exhibiting her works locally in Alice Springs. Since that time she has bee selling to local galleries and collectors within Australia and overseas.
Her main Dreaming story is the Damper Seed Dreaming, which she depicts in various forms and stages, usually expressing seasonal imagery including damper seeds, damper seed bush, leaves and flowers.
She has also painted Bush Berries Dreaming and Frog Dreaming. The latter is her auntie’s dreaming story, and she has encouraged Mary to depict these delightful images of tiny desert frogs (although Mary refers to her aunt to tell the Frog Dreaming stories herself).