Mary Crock studied art at high school and art history at the University of Melbourne between 1977 and 1980.  She has otherwise had no formal training as an artist.  Although her interest in portraiture extends back many years, it was not until 2011 that she decided to try her hand (again) at some serious painting.  The break of almost 25 years is explained (but not excused) by the fact that she married a man who is blind – and so could not share this artistic medium with her.  Mary’s husband, Ron McCallum AO, was the subject of her first piece accepted for exhibition in the Portia Geach Award in 2011.  A portrait of Fr Arthur Bridge AM was hung in 2012.  In 2017 she had a piece selected for the Just Art exhibition and award.  It is entitled ‘The Big Issue’ and depicts a homeless man in front of the statue of Queen Victoria in Queen’s Square, Sydney. The Little Walla artworks are the most ambitious collection of paintings she has ever done.

Mary is otherwise better known as a lawyer, teacher and author.  She is Professor of Public Law at Sydney Law School, University of Sydney.  An Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law, she is the author of 16 books and reports on immigration and refugee law and numerous chapters and articles.  She has been a member of the Expert Advisory Committee for the NSW Commission for Children and Young Persons since 2008.  With broad interests in human rights, she has served in executive positions for the Law Council of Australia and the Refugee Council of Australia; and worked as adviser to the Australian Senate and as consultant to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (on immigration detention)..