In a 1949 dairy barn in rural Arizona, I get to create all sorts of things using all sorts of media.

 

Hi!  I am Mary Lue Allen.  I'm a wife, mother, sister, aunt, servant and seeker.  My husband and I retired from teaching 10 years ago and we are having a grand time.

 

As teachers, through the years, we have taken our 3 children traveling all over.  Because of a love of photography, I've been able to take pictures of this great nation and a few other countries.

 

My love of photography circles to that magical moment in time captured by my lens.  Looking at my photos, takes me to that time.  I can see it again, feel what I was feeling, hear and be there again.  Magic.

 

When I throw pottery at my wheel another kind of magic happens.  From this simple ball of clay, I can make something useful.....or not.  The wheel can give me a plate, vase, cup or bowl.  The ability to take this ball of clay through all the revolutions and evolutions to have it become something I can keep, is magical to me.

 

Drawing with charcoal, pen and ink, pencil or pastels are magic of another form.  Taking the blank and fairly intimidiating white page and just to make a mark is bold.  To continue making marks until a landscape appears or the eyes of a big horn sheep stare out at me is amazing.  To be able to form something recognizeable and hopefully, beautiful is prettty cool.

 

My studio is a space for me to create.  There are shells from long ago beaches and sand from others.  Found objects from across the nation just waiting for the time to be right for them to be formed into a piece of art.  I'm patient and hope to be able to see and the ability to act, when it is their time.