Ancient myths and symbols are my inspiration. As a clay artist, I celebrate symbols combining human and animal motifs. These symbols show the emergence and mystery of life’s energy. My works combine artistic experience with a profound respect for nature and images from the past.
Clay, coming from the earth, provides me with a natural tactile connection with our world. Using clay that contains a mica-rich surface, I carefully draw stories in glazes on fired clay. These stories have been researched and influenced from the rich cultural traditions and ruins of the Southwest. Each piece is painted with many coats of glazes which come alive in “brilliant colors” during the second firing process. My hand built pieces echo ancient motifs in a contemporary style.
Mariann is also a painter. Painting in acrylics lends colors similar to the glazes that she uses on her clay pieces. Vibrant, bold, fluid concepts define her imagery based on nature and animal subjects.
Mariann taught art in high school for over eighteen years in the multicultural Chicago area where she did her graduate work in Ceramics at the Chicago School of the Art Institute. Mariann has lived in Sedona, Arizona since 1997. She has won numerous awards for her artwork as well as having taught workshops at the Sedona Arts Center. In 2017, Mariann was named a Sedona Legacy Artist along with others in celebration of the Art’s Center 60th Anniversary. A legacy artist is one who has shown in Galleries in Sedona for over 20 years and is still a practicing artist. Currently, Mariann’s work is represented by the Sedona Arts Center.
Website. MariannLeahyFineArt.com
