About
Mary Beth grew up in Bedminster, NJ with her 5 siblings, attended Bernards High School and graduated from Rutgers College with a BA in Art History and Fine Art in 1993. She moved to Ithaca, NY in 1994 with her husband and found her home.
She started her decorative art business Ihnken’s Creations and joined the Ithaca Farmer’s Market in 1995. She primarily painted furniture and slowly moved to the walls, painting faux finishes, Trompe L’Oeil, and of course murals. She had her first son Zachary in 2004 and Miles in 2007.
Mary Beth Ihnken is a New York–based artist whose work bridges the worlds of public art and fine art painting. For over two decades, she has created large-scale murals and decorative finishes in private homes and public spaces throughout Ithaca and beyond, transforming environments through color, narrative, and a strong sense of place.
Her work can be found in numerous local businesses, including Trader Joe’s, Viva Taqueria, The Dean Luxury Apartments, Dolce Delight, and exterior projects for Neighborhood Housing Services. In addition to her commercial work, Ihnken has painted extensive custom murals in private residences across the country, from Massachusetts to Florida.
Her public commissions include multiple murals across Ithaca, such as the West End Mural for Alternative Federal Credit Union, as well as collaborative projects with schools and community institutions. She has worked closely with students to design and execute large-scale murals, and created a 50-foot installation at the Museum of the Earth. These projects reflect her belief that art can foster connection, storytelling, and shared experience.
Ihnken’s current studio practice marks a focused shift toward fine art on canvas. Working in an expressionistic, whimsical style, she creates bold, color-driven paintings that amplify everyday imagery into something immersive and alive. Her process often involves enlarging forms and exploring the depth and movement of color within them, allowing each piece to unfold with energy and spontaneity.
Her recent series of large-scale floral paintings exemplifies this approach. These works transform familiar botanical forms into vibrant, expressive compositions, where color becomes the primary language and emotion is embedded in every layer. Through scale, saturation, and gesture, Ihnken invites viewers into a world that feels both joyful and contemplative.
While murals remain an important part of her artistic foundation, Ihnken’s current focus is on developing a cohesive body of fine art paintings for exhibition and collection. Across all mediums, her goal remains the same: to create visually engaging, emotionally resonant work that invites a sense of wonder.