MARY T. ENSLOW
The female form—embodying strength, vulnerability, and resilience—has long been central to my work. Through clay sculpture, I explore themes of identity, empowerment, and human connection, often portraying women as guardians, matriarchs, angels, and queens.
I earned my BFA in Sculpture from the University of Washington in 2003, with a concentration in metal casting. Early influences included the raw, expressive figures of Giacometti, which affirmed for me that art need not pursue realism to carry weight. Later, studies in Rome deepened my interest in the relationship between classical sculpture, ruins, and the natural world—the quiet collaboration between time, decay, and form. These experiences shaped the visual and conceptual language of my work.
In 2009, I transitioned primarily to clay, drawn to its tactile immediacy and capacity to hold movement and texture. My practice is grounded in traditional hand-building methods such as slab building, coiling, and solid construction. The process unfolds slowly and intuitively, guided by the material itself. I build forms piece by piece, working the surface with my hands, tools, and textured materials, then refine them through multiple firings and layers of oxides and glaze until the figure feels complete in its presence and power.
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, I found steadiness in the forests, coastlines, and layered landscapes of the region. Those early experiences with the natural world nurtured a hands-on, exploratory approach to making and instilled a lasting sense of beauty, solitude, and resilience that continues to inform my work.
