Home Is Wherever I’m With You
mb arts studios
Meet Mary and Cory of mb arts studios, a small, family run business in Austin Texas that believes in the beauty of handmade and keeping it simple.
“Our work is influenced by our love for aesthetics, simplicity and words that can encourage and move us to live a good life. Our work is also greatly influenced by modern architecture and nature, as well as the Scandinavian design of Mary’s great-grandparents’ Swedish homeland. We love patterns, black & white, color, wood, textiles and imperfections.
Mary never really expected to find herself on this path of being an artist and having a desire to create. For more than 15 years, she was in a cubicle, living a corporate life that was very uninspired. What woke her up was having a child who didn’t fit into the average “box” and didn’t start talking until he was almost 4. She knew that something had to give. He helped open up her eyes to a whole new world.
Mary’s ceramic line was born out of a desire to bring balance into life. The experience with her son took her on a path that she had no idea would unfold. She enrolled him in a Waldorf preschool and began dabbling with watercolors and needle felting. The next thing she knew, she was creating with clay and firing up the old kiln that her mother-in-law gave her. She was hooked and her world opened up to the beauty of art.
After many years of experimenting and creating beautiful wares with her own hands, her husband, Cory, joined her in the studio. Cory had been working in the construction field for 20+ years as a tile and granite contractor. His body had had enough wear and tear and he decided to collaborate with his wife in her creative adventure. Leaving the stressful construction environment and spending more time with family has been a welcomed change in his life.
While Mary creates most of the screen printed designs and chooses the words used on each piece, Cory bring the patience and determination to improve how each piece is made. Whether it be prepping the clay, mixing up our own glazes, or making the plaster molds used to hand build our porcelain dinnerware, Cory enjoys the creative challenges of working with clay.
The words that are stamped or screen printed on each ceramic piece are carefully chosen with the hope of opening the heart and awakening others to their inner life.
All of our screen-printed designs are created by hand and printed onto clay. We love to experiment with these two mediums. Our porcelain ware is a result of this.”
GIVEAWAY
Custom Hand Stamped 8″ Porcelain Dish (Retail Value $40)
This handmade dish with letters stamped one at a time by Mary onto creamy, white earthenware clay. A stitched border is added as well by hand. Letters and stitching filled with black glaze. The dish shown with the words “home is wherever i’m with you.” is personalized with names and the special day. The dish 8″ diameter with a bit of character. Please know that each dish is unique and will not look exactly like the one shown in the photo.
Now go ahead and ENTER!
Then be sure to visit mb arts studios on Facebook, Etsy, and their beautiful Website!
Beautiful stuff!
Can Canadians enter the draw also?
I’ll check and get back to you! 😉
Great for gifts!
Beautiful!
Interesting and Unusual items.
How fun! What a great story! They are beautiful!
Love the simple beauty!
Love this!
Beautiful!
I love the clean lines and texture. Nothing warms a home like handmade things 🙂
Very simple and beautiful!
Love this!!!
This is nice, I would give it to my friends if I won.
What a great gift idea for the person who has everything. I’ve got lots of those in my life 🙂
What beautiful pieces of art and I love the Virginia Woolf quote! An even MORE beautiful and amazing back story! My son was not speaking very much at 2.5 years old and he was officially diagnosed with autism around age 3. I can totally relate to having a child who doesn’t fit into the average “box” and your story is truly inspirational. He has taken me on a path that is still unfolding, but worth every step of the way!
lovely, I like that
Awesome giveaway! I <3 them! Thanks for the chance!
this is so cool
I love handmade gifts. They always seem so special.
Love this too!
This is so beautiful (as are all your pieces!)
These are all very beautiful!
absolutly love this-so pretty!
This dish is beautiful in it’s simplicity. I love it.
These plates are gorgeous, so simple and elegant
this is awesome!
Wonderful idea and each unique which makes it all the more special
creative and clever – love it.
I love beautiful novelty dishes, this one is gorgeous.
Love these handmade items!
What a beautiful work of art 🙂
I love this art!
Beautiful!!
If I win pleased make one with Sun flowers
My best friend is getting married in the fall. This would be a beautiful wedding gift!
What a beautiful way to celebrate 20 years this year and to look forward to 20 more! This amazing piece says it all…a smooth finish with a few dents……the stitching with it’s gaps comes together in a circle…and the words to show that it’s still about just being together!
These are so lovely – thanks for the giveaway!
Lovely work! Thanks for the giveaway!
This is great, I think it would make a wonderful gift. Thank you for this great giveaway.
Love the simplicity– beautiful sayings….
Glad to see an Austin artist featured! Very special and pretty work.
I am so in love with this art! I live hear the highway in North Carolina that showcases our pottery and have loved unique pieces my entire life. I would love to win this to add to my collection! Thanks for introducing me to these artists.
Wonderful art!
What a wonderful idea! This would make a fantastic gift for family, or friends.
Love these! So cute!
Such a work of art. Love this!
They are such pretty and calming pieces.
There’s something about the beauty and simplicity of this work that really touches me!
This bowl is beautiful! “Opening the heart and awakening others to their inner life with art!”
Beautiful pieces!
These are awesome!
I really like some of the designs!
really lovely pieces. i am in love with this plate! my ten year anniversary is coming up.