about mary kelly clary

Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia an avid photographer, Mary Kelly Stribling Clary's respect for color and composition grew during her time at The Lovett School, where she began to hone in on her love of the arts in their photography department. Her exploration continued as she went on to pursue higher education at the College of Charleston. Surrounded by the breathtaking landscapes of the South Carolina lowcountry that reminded her so much of summers spent with family in Sea Island, Georgia.  She majored in Studio Art and Arts Management and returned home to Atlanta to begin her boutique jewelry design company; Give a Penny Designs in 2008.  Mary Kelly busied herself filling wholesale and retail orders, hosted trunk shows all over the Southeast, and photographed her fashion designs for publications like Garden & Gun and Atlanta magazine.  After the birth of her third child in 2017, Mary Kelly decided to put down her jewelry tools and focus more on her photography works. Today, she juggles the demands of being a full-time Mom and photographer, focusing on family portraits and landscapes when she can make time for an adventure behind her camera; happily nestled in her Atlanta home with her husband, three children and two dogs. Her heart invested in the creative process of shooting and processing film, and developing silver gelatin prints in the darkroom.