Chapter Board: Education Chair

Name: Mary Knox
Position: Education Chair
Email: mknox@aii.edu

Contact Info:
The Art Institute of Seattle
Career Services: Interior Design
206.239.2564

Wisconsin native Mary Knox has been the Career Advisor for the Interior & Residential Design programs at The Art Institute of Seattle since 2003. Mary's diverse experience in the creative industry provides a solid foundation for the advice she gives students seeking careers in design.

Originally intending to be a painter, Mary acquired a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin, later returning to get her teaching certification.

After a short stint teaching elementary art, Mary transitioned into the design and fashion oriented world of visual merchandising for large department store retailers. Having found her creative niche, she quickly moved into visual merchandising management with Gimbels Midwest, as well as Donaldson's in Minnesota. Seattle became home for Mary in 1983 when Eddie Bauer hired and moved her here to be on their corporate store planning team to help open new stores around the country.

More visual merchandising employment followed with Seattle retailers Nordstrom, Frederick & Nelson, I.Magnin, and others. Mary went on to partner with Nintendo on their design and merchandising for The World of Nintendo. She also collaborated on retail design concepts with a small architectural firm in Seattle.

In the world of retail advertising promotion, Mary did photo styling for such clients as Nordstrom, Bon Marche', Eddie Bauer, REI, Frederick & Nelson, Millstone Coffee, Alaska Airlines, Duty-Free, and others. The ongoing challenge in both retail visual merchandising and advertising photography was nearly the same and ingrained. Mission was accomplished when the customer's attention was captured instantaneously while branding and inspiring interest in a product that resulted in increased sales.