When Mary was introduced to ceramics over forty years ago, she knew there would be clay under her fingernails from then on. Sculpture classes followed, as well as classes in Raku, salt, and primitive firing. Living in many areas, she availed herself of workshops or master classes with some of the world’s best known potters—Toshiko Takaezu, Carlton Ball, Robin Hopper, Don Reitz, etc.
Mary has exhibited and received awards at juried shows in Wyoming, California, and Arizona, including several first-place awards in Sedona Arts Center’s annual members shows. In 1978, while living in Quebec, she accepted the invitation to represent the Province with her pottery at Canada’s Man and His World Exposition in Montreal. She is pleased to have her work in private collections around the world.
While living in Quebec, Mary taught several ceramics courses to French-speaking adults, including two intensive summer workshops for instructors from small communities in Quebec’s isolated northland. Mary is also a published poet and has recently received recognition in the field of playwriting. She founded Poets Corner at Sedona Arts Center in 2006.
Mary says: “Wherever I live I tune in to my surroundings and seek the influence of its uniqueness in my art. This has been particularly rewarding in the splendor of Sedona. All of my senses respond to the life-like qualities of clay and are driven to explore its multi-dimensional possibilities. I am excited by the opportunities for expression in form, texture, color, and even sound. I hear songs in the clay when I work and strive for a harmony of art and utility in the finished product.”
