Marie Woo

1928 Born Seattle, Washington

EDUCATION

1954 BFA University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

1954 California College of Arts

1956 MFA Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

—Studied with Kaneshige a Japanese Living National Treasure, Tokyo, Japan

APPRENTICESHIPS AND RESIDENCIES

2007 Fuping International Ceramic Residency, Shaanxi, China 

2001 Shiwan Ceramic Residency, FoShan-Chanchen, China

2005 San Bao Ceramic Institute, Jingdezhen, China

—Residency, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1956-1960 & 1988 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

1963-1965 University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

1965-1967 Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

1980-1990 College for Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan

Marie Woo’s is known for wheel-thrown and manipulated vessel and sculptural forms. Woo’s surface techniques include both interior and exterior incised and carved markings and the use of a pallet personal glazes.

Once thrown Woo begins the process of tearing the vessel edges, forcing the shape into irregular volumetric forms and sometimes adding hand built objects to be contained by the form. These hand built organic forms retain a vessel reference.  Throughout her career, Woo formulated her own glazes. She has found inspiration from her studies in Japan, China, Korea and teaching in Thailand.

Woo was an influential teacher at the University of Michigan where Roberta Griffith was one of her students.   Woo also taught at the University of Washington and College of Creative studies.