...Artist Bio...

Artist Biography

Marion Pollman's playfulness is readily revealed through her ceramics. Her organic forms are alive with color; each piece can make you smile and begs to be touched.

"To make the world beautiful" is the moving force of Marion's life. Through her work, Marion Pollmann Ceramics, she has found her way.

Marion was born with a passion to create and with tremendous energy to put her passion into action. In her native Austria, she originally trained as an herbalist, focusing on using native plants for healing. She started a natural foods production business. Marion especially enjoyed what she calls "food styling," cooking meals which are not only delicious and healthy, but also a "feast for the eyes."

Moving to the U.S. in 1994, she first turned her creativity toward designing her own home. There she added gardens, growing organic vegetables and herbs along with flowers. With all of this accomplished she grew restless, ready to put herself into something new. But what?

One day in 1997, she took a pottery class. "Watching the teacher throw pots on the wheel," she remembers, "I was so overwhelmed by the experience of watching creation right before my eyes. Right away, I knew I was 'home.'" She's had her hands in clay ever since.

For the next several years Marion took all the classes she could find to learn about working with clay. She soon abandoned the potter's wheel in order to hand build her own forms. Her highly unique designs caught people's attention and she's been selling her work to delighted customers ever since. Marion never lacks for inspiration, often waking up from a dream with a new design idea in mind.

Her travels throughout Europe and in the South Pacific influence her work in interesting ways. Her vases are inspired by her earlier life in Europe where, she says, people give much more importance to flowers and vases in their homes. Time in Tahiti brought forth her ceramic baskets and two lines of dishes: Tahiti Dinner Set and Tutti Fruitti.

In 2006 Marion added a large gas kiln to her studio and started to create large sculptures and garden vessels up to four feet tall. Their forms are both surprising and pleasing, adding beauty to your home or garden.

SHOWS

Juried and nonjuried Shows in the Puget Sound Area:

GALLERIES

My work has been represented in several different galleries in Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle, Kirkland, Cannon Beach, Oregon and Miami, Florida

COMMISSIONS

Bonsai Stand

2003 The Weyerhaeuser Bonsai Collection awarded a commission to create a stand for one of their bonsai trees

Wedding commissions

2006 I was commissioned to create 120 starfish for a wedding celebration

2006 I created a Ketubah made out of tiles for a wedding ceremony

2002 I created a cube decorated with symbols as a wedding gift

Funeral Urns

I have had several commissions to create funeral urns

Tiles and Mosaics


Custom tile projects and mosaics for bathrooms and kitchens and fireplace hearths, including the design, creation and installation of the tiles

2008 Donor Recognition Wall for Temple Beth Hatfiloh in Olympia, WA

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   2007 I designed, created and installed tiles and a mosaic for a kitchen
   2006 I created and installed tiles and a mosaic for a bathroom backsplash
   2005 I designed, created and installed a mosaic for a fire place hearth
   2002 I was commissioned to create gothic tiles for an antique dresser that was later converted to a bathroom sink
   2000 I designed several different tile murals in the kitchen and bathrooms of my own home

PUBLIC PROJECTS

2007 Open Art Studio in Tacoma: During summer camps we created tiles for a 6 x 3 feet mosaic which will be installed at Open Art Studio this spring

2003 Yelm Library: I assisted Barbra Kates with the production of donation tiles for the library

1999 Buckley Mountain Meadows Elementary School: I set and installed a large 12 x 6 feet tile mural created by children

TEACHING

Since April of 2007 I have been teaching clay classes for adults and children at Open Art Studio in Tacoma