Mae Kennedy was born on July 2, 1922 in Shawville, Quebec. Mae’s love of art was evident very early on, after drawing on her desk at school and daydreaming about what was yet to come. Mae married Thomas Alva Kennedy and together they moved to Muskoka and started a family. 

Mae’s love and enthusiasm for art was ongoing, with frequent sketching trips with her artist friends. Mae showed her paintings in a summer show held in Memorial Park, located in downtown Bracebridge. From this first outdoor show grew Muskoka Arts & Crafts and its renowned Summer Show. Learning and working in various mediums, Mae developed different interests and abilities in various media. She studied fine art at Georgian College. The enjoyment of creating and incorporating designs was evident when Mae studied religious symbolism to represent works through stitchery in numerous priests’ robes for clerical customers. Community based groups also called on Mae for her expertise in the creations of costumes for plays and dramatic presentations. 

Throughout the years, Mae won numerous awards for her art. She attended the Life Drawing Open Studio held at the Chapel Gallery, of which, Tom was occasionally called upon to model.

Professionally, Mae worked for the Ministry of Education teaching art therapy to Native and Inuit patients while working at the Sanatorium for Tuberculosis in Muskoka. Until her retirement in 1985, she also worked for the Ministry for Community and Social Services as an art instructor for people with special needs. 

Mae died on September 21, 2011.