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Mary Lynch
Primary Medium Clay
Secondary MediumJewelry
Description of Work The hand built clay pieces are impressed with leaves, stamps and other materials and are both functional and decorative. My jewelry is handmade, usually one-of-a-kind pieces using sterling and gold-filled metals with semi-precious gemstone beads.
Chapter South
Company/Business Metals & Minerals
Artist Statement
Mary Lynch works from her home studio in southeastern Tennessee where she combines her interest in nature and her love of working with her hands to create one-of-a-kind jewelry and ceramic pieces. She personally selects the gemstone strands and other components that go into her work, then turns the beads and metals into unique bracelets, earrings and necklaces that are both beautiful and comfortable to wear.
All of the plant materials used in Mary’s botanical plaques and other pieces are gathered either from her yard or along rural roadsides where she lives. (No endangered natives are ever removed from their habitat!) Dried plant material is pressed onto clay slabs, then dried, fired, stained and glazed, then fired again. Final finishing steps may include sanding or adding handles to individual pieces. Glazed pieces may be used inside or out, but best in covered areas.
Mary has worked with a variety of materials, including mixed media sculpture and hand built utilitarian clay dishes and vessels. Her work is influenced by the colors, textures and structures she finds in nature, like feathers, leaves, flowers, rocks, nests and insects. Their scale may be small but their variety and beauty are endless and colors range from subtle to brilliant, changing throughout the seasons.
“Clay is the media that brought me into art making - it is such an versatile and expressive material that you could spend a lifetime working with it and never learn or do all of the things that can be done. Impressing plants in the clay is my way of documenting my natural surroundings, keeping me aware of nature’s infinity variety and of how many ways there are to be in the world.
I enjoy working with semiprecious gems and silk cord, as well as a variety of metals, including sterling and fine silver, 14k gold-fill and copper. The contrast of those things next to each other - glittering gems against silk or surrounded by the glow of silver and gold, the colors of different gems side by side - are reminders to see the beauty that surrounds us, even in seemingly insignificant things. I also enjoy making jewelry because of its intimate scale with the wearer. It’s more than adornment, it can also engage time and memory, give encouragement and become part of our celebration and rituals.
I hope someone using my work is reminded of their own beauty, even in the smallest ways, and that wearing it brings them great pleasure and memories.”
Mary Lynch works from her home studio in southeastern Tennessee where she combines her interest in nature and her love of working with her hands to create one-of-a-kind jewelry and ceramic pieces. She personally selects the gemstone strands and other components that go into her work, then turns the beads and metals into unique bracelets, earrings and necklaces that are both beautiful and comfortable to wear.
All of the plant materials used in Mary’s botanical plaques and other pieces are gathered either from her yard or along rural roadsides where she lives. (No endangered natives are ever removed from their habitat!) Dried plant material is pressed onto clay slabs, then dried, fired, stained and glazed, then fired again. Final finishing steps may include sanding or adding handles to individual pieces. Glazed pieces may be used inside or out, but best in covered areas.
Mary has worked with a variety of materials, including mixed media sculpture and hand built utilitarian clay dishes and vessels. Her work is influenced by the colors, textures and structures she finds in nature, like feathers, leaves, flowers, rocks, nests and insects. Their scale may be small but their variety and beauty are endless and colors range from subtle to brilliant, changing throughout the seasons.
“Clay is the media that brought me into art making - it is such an versatile and expressive material that you could spend a lifetime working with it and never learn or do all of the things that can be done. Impressing plants in the clay is my way of documenting my natural surroundings, keeping me aware of nature’s infinity variety and of how many ways there are to be in the world.
I enjoy working with semiprecious gems and silk cord, as well as a variety of metals, including sterling and fine silver, 14k gold-fill and copper. The contrast of those things next to each other - glittering gems against silk or surrounded by the glow of silver and gold, the colors of different gems side by side - are reminders to see the beauty that surrounds us, even in seemingly insignificant things. I also enjoy making jewelry because of its intimate scale with the wearer. It’s more than adornment, it can also engage time and memory, give encouragement and become part of our celebration and rituals.
I hope someone using my work is reminded of their own beauty, even in the smallest ways, and that wearing it brings them great pleasure and memories.”
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