Mary Stone

Mary Stone, a whistle maker for almost 20 years, has worked with clay throughout her adult life with special emphasis on hand-formed "pinch" pottery. Her clay whistles are lovingly sculpted figures and animals, each a unique exploration of the creature's essence expressed in a range of clays, firing techniques and glazing. Many people are initially drawn to Mary's work visually and are surprised to learn that these charming sculptures are also musical. Indeed, part of the appeal of whistle-making for Mary is that the sound invites touch and brings the form to life.

Traditionally, clay whistles (or ocarinas) took the form of small birds. Mary has observed that people have a strong connection to different animals and has expanded the art by sculpting a variety of animals, from large polar bears to tiny creatures that can be worn around one's neck. All are whistles -- some are "tweeters," making wonderful trilling bird sounds and simple tunes, and some are tuned to our conventional musical scale. The process of tuning the whistles requires constant care in retuning each sculpture as it dries prior to firing. Mary's tuned whistles come with a fingering chart so anyone can learn to play them.

Born and raised in Central Vermont, Mary studied art and geology at the University of Vermont, traveled throughout South America, and returned in the early 1980s to raise her family in East Montpelier. There she was introduced to the Mildred MacKenzie technique of producing musical sound from a pinch pot. "Whistle making allowed me to work at home in a creative and intentional way. There is no end to the possibilities of form and sound."

Because each piece is individually handmade, Mary's work is sold at a limited number of fine craft guilds and shows in New York and Vermont, with the widest selection at the Artisans Hand Craft Gallery in Montpelier.

Mary Stone Clay Whistles
25 Cummings Road
Montpelier, Vermont 05602

802-223-2319
emtstone1@verizon.net