Spring 2009 Potomac Term - Potomac School

PROFILE
Mary Thomas ‘03
“It’s the coolest project I know of in Washington,
DC,” says Mary Thomas in describing the renovation
and expansion of Arena Stage, a major theater
that specializes in American plays. Mary works
as an engineer on the project, coordinating the
work of subcontractors doing millwork, drywall
and interior glass.
We found her intently focused on some
blueprints in the project’s construction trailer.
As she described her job and pointed out the
prominent design features of the building, it
was evident that this Potomac grad is living
out her passion.
After Potomac Mary majored in visual and
environmental studies at Harvard University,
taking courses in sociology, engineering, and
environmental diversity. “I painted a lot of vacant
buildings, because I’m drawn to them for their
history and their potential. I think studying buildings
that are not in use gives you a chance to
understand how they were used and why and how
they can be used again in the future.” she said.
“One of the things I like about the Arena Stage
is that we are not just tearing down the existing
buildings and throwing up a generic modern
building without any sense of history. The architects
managed to find a way to incorporate the old into
the new.”
As a Potomac lifer, Mary was an avid participant
in the arts program. But it was in the Upper
School that she discovered she had a talent she
could nurture. Taking drawing, painting, and
sculpture classes, she produced remarkable
works that can still be found in the Upper School
and in the Engelhard Performing Arts Center.
“Potomac is remarkable for its teachers, so
caring and invested in their students and so
interested in their work. They give you a lot of
freedom, yet provide guidance when you need it.
“I spent months on a giant self-portrait and
was really engaged in the work. Mrs. Cook and
Mr. Morgan would set it up in the hallway and we
would all focus on it. They helped me figure out
when to stop, that my piece was finally finished.”
Mary says that art will always play a major
role in her life. She continues with drawing and
painting classes, spurred on by the enthusiasm
and encouragement of her roommates “who love
having my art on the walls.”
16 The Potomac Term