Mary Jane Jessen was born in Moncton, NB and moved to Victoria, BC with her family in 1969. She was always drawing and painting as a child and began taking private art lessons in the early 1970s. Over the years, she studied in several art institutions including Victoria College of Art, North Island College Campbell River and Malaspina University College. In addition to this, she studied painting with Victor Arcega for three years. In 2002, she graduated from Emily Carr Institute with a Bachelor of Fine Art in the Visual Arts.

Mary Jane has followed in the footsteps of many past and contemporary artists through her lengthy career in the graphic arts and commercial printing industry. Design has given me the marketing and communication skills needed to be a professional artist, and the visual art has enabled me to communicate my political opinions and ideas creatively.

In 2003, Mary Jane started on a new career path that includes freelance book design for New Society Publishers, painting and teaching. She is a visiting artist at Gabriola Elementary's Art Club, and conducts school tours for the Nanaimo Art Gallery.