Red Lodge Clay Center – Short-Term Resident (AIA) 2022
During her career as a crisis and trauma therapist Marilyn discovered her affinity for clay – transitioning to ceramics as her wholehearted endeavor. After studying with several excellent teachers and mentors – including the Graduate Certificate in Artistry from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth – she established her studio in rural Oregon. Having spent formative years in Canada, she draws on her identification with these north western landscapes and their sense of endurance and fragility.
My porcelain vessels are lyrical in line and fluid in movement; I aim to capture curves that enliven and soothe the senses. I am fascinated with the rhythm and harmony of graceful motion. Contour is paramount. The fluidity of the movement describes the arc of the interior and defines the nature of its openness and its containment — its ability to hold space — and the presence it gives to the space around it.
I pare down forms and exaggerate particular attributes to highlight a vessel’s graceful presence. Double or triple walls allow for an interior spaciousness – a deep breath — that accentuates the work’s generosity and strength. Each vessel embodies the passage of time. In construction, I build up layers and then wash and abrade them away. Edges and rims are smoothed, polished, and worn emphasizing their tactile quality. The material of clay and the making process honors nature’s seasonal cycles and rhythms of growth, melting, evolution, and erosion. In sculpting a precise curve, I echo those that reoccur in natural forms to reveal a repetitive arc that captivates and pleases, easing tensions. The meditative motion of forming and smoothing harnesses emotion and the ceramic pieces become a reflection of my inner landscapes of visceral memories and touchstones of change. I intend each piece to retain its sensuous bearing and the history of its making.The vessel contains a deep quiet vitality to bring harmony to the space that holds it.