I have been creating art since I was old enough to hold crayons. I love color, it sings to me. I started on the road to art with my parents encouragement. They have always been supportive through my many trials and tribulations, even to this very day, Thank you, I love you! At 14 I found ceramic clays, this was the key, the one, the all that is in my life, clay. I took other classes, oils and water color, photography, jewelry making and lost wax casting, commercial art, fine art, stained glass, weaving, crafts, and anything else that I could get my hands on. Everything I have learned comes in to play in my work, but I always come back to using clay.
In 1979 I found oven bake clay, and that was the marriage of all of my loves, color, jewelry, and clay. The journey through this medium has been a long one and where I spend all of my time, it is my medium of my choice. In 1981, while raising our new family, my husband Howard and I started doing craft shows, street fairs, and swap meets to promote and sell our products.
I have manufactured finished product to the wholesale and retail trade. At one point I had 18 employees and sold to Bullocks, Macy's, Nordstrom's, the Icing, and lots of other major stores at the time. I remember being the busiest I have ever been, having more money than I have ever had, and having no time or inclination to do more art or anything else. My work was in show rooms in New York and Los Angeles and I produced product lines 5 times a year. This is not always what it is cracked up to be. I learn things by going through them, at least that is the way I learn them best.
In the many changes I have made with this medium, it is time to make another, a time to be all I can be for myself and my family and not for another company or person. All of the pieces you see on my web site are made by me, with my own two hands, my heart and my soul, and are one of a kind. My experience has been so varied and I find that my art is moving in to those many variables again. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I love making it.
Namaste,
Marie
