MaryJane Findley finds herself in the medium.
MaryJane Findley knows how it feels to fall apart at the seams.
In 2001, she was living in Astoria, New York, with her then-husband, who was a sculptor. Findley often worked alongside him in the studio, channeling her energy into abstract clay sculptures. She found a sense of purpose in the medium, but her husband’s relentless criticism weighed heavy.
“Although I was enjoying the clay, my husband was less encouraging,” says Findley, who began “playing” with clay as an elementary schooler in Illinois. She later studied art, theater, music, and English in college. “He put me and my creativity down as if my contributions didn’t count.”
Disenchanted by the relationship, Findley decided to divorce her husband on September 7, 2001. Less than a week later, terrorists crashed into the Twin Towers.
“I was undone,” Findley tells Asheville Made.
In the coming months, Findley moved to a little village in Queens where she “dove into the mud” and began taking pottery classes at a studio three blocks from her apartment. But living in NYC left Findley in financial ruin.
“I was over $30,000 in credit card debt. I realized that I couldn’t afford to live in NYC any longer,” says Findley. “I cut up my credit cards. It was horrible for me. I would pray to whichever gods or goddess would help me out.”
In 2010, Findley’s prayers were answered: Her friend was moving to Asheville, a creative boon with cheaper rent, and he asked her to join him. Findley had only visited the mountain locale once, but she took a leap of faith. It paid off.
“Asheville was perfect for me,” says Findley, who secured studio space at Odyssey and began taking classes at ClayWorks. In 2014, when a group of Odyssey studio potters came together to establish the Odyssey Co-op Gallery, she became one of the 25 founding members.
Today, the ceramic artist is known for her expressive, slab-built forms. Findley says making these pieces is a dialogue: She asks the clay who it wants to be. “It’s a conversation on another level of my psyche,” she says. “[The piece] is done when it speaks to me with a little feeling in my heart and my belly.”
Findley’s works are created using stoneware clay with grog for “personality.” She also likes to incorporate “happy colors” — glazes of turquoise blue and lime green with coral red for contrast.
“I found the coral interior by chance and realized I really liked it,” she says. “I love the way it complements and enhances the presence of the verdigris. It just makes me happy.”
Sadly, Findley’s artistic journey took a turn last September when Hurricane Helene hit. Though her home and studio were spared, the natural disaster left a lasting mark on her consciousness. Her creative work dwindled. She felt “lost and adrift.”
But by November, after months of reflection and community support, Findley returned to her studio where she found a newfound sense of levity.
“When I come into the studio these days, other clay folk will ask me if I’m here to work,” Findley explains. “I say, ‘No, I’m here to play.’”
MaryJane Findley, Asheville, facebook.com/MaryJane4Clay. Findley is represented by Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts (238 Clingman Avenue, River Arts District, Asheville, odysseygalleryofceramicarts.com). Findley is participating in a member exhibition at Odyssey that runs through April 1.