Tom Marino

EDUCATION

BS Chemistry, Michigan Technical University, Houghton, Michigan

BIOGRAPHY

Tom Marino is known for functional porcelain pottery, as well as a conceptual series such as the Crucible Series and Reliquary Series. These series combine ceramics and metallic surfaces. Functional works are glazed porcelain high fired in heavy reduction. Surface techniques include glazes, slips, and masking. Marino formulated many of the glazes and slip he uses.

In 2016 Marino perfected the Crucible Series. This series of double walled porcelain vessels was created by connecting two nested bowls of differing diameters to appear to be a thick walled ‘bowl-vessel’[1]. The forms are surfaced with matt grays and blues to shimmering red and semi-matt black. A sense of glowing is created by contrasting the narrowed interior surface with a finely textured gold or silver finish. This series was inspired by the story of alchemists trying to convert lead into gold. The Reliquary Series consists of square or rectangular open vessel forms some with surface texture produced by a variety of glaze applications including matt black. The interiors are predominantly silver. In this series the vessel is open and the wall thickness is not emphasized. Marino credits Tony Ball, Tok Inc., for the application of the silver surface used both in the Crucible Series and the Reliquary Series.

Tom Marino lives and works in Toledo, Ohio. Marino has a background in science and chemistry and is mainly a self-taught ceramic artist.