Jewels, Beads, and Roses: Mary Rose Pottery has Glamour Appeal!

If a sense of whimsy and love of vivid color appeal to you, Mary Rose Pottery certainly fits the bill.  Founded by its namesake, Mary Rose Young, her pieces are noted for their sense of fun; she is adept at blending beauty and humor.  While a student, her trademark pieces were sculptural.  Realizing she needed something glamorous to brighten up an old farmhouse she moved into after college, she tried her hand at the potter’s wheel.  Apply the bright color that she had achieved in her artistic pieces, she achieved the look she was hoping for.  Mary Rose Pottery was born!

Her earliest designs included the rose motif (after her name) and the humorous, frantic chicken.  The rose motif became three dimensional.  Her rationale:  since flowers were needed to make a vase work, why not design a vase with its own bunch of flowers.

Her career catapulted after she exhibited at the Chelsea Crafts Fair, exposing her to American and European buyers.  Soon, Barneys New York came beckoning.  No longer destined for obscurity, she relocated her pottery studio to her refurbished home called “Oak House,” located in England and open to the public.  She lives and wears the amazing colors of her art every day, as every surface of her home is alive with color.

While her rose design is still  popular, her art continues to evolve with new shapes and designs.  In her look, “Jewelled and Beaded,” she uses gold luster to create pottery that resembles a pirate’s treasure.  She has licensed some of her ideas to larger giftware companies, so you may occasionally encounter some of these mass-produced pieces on High Street or as we say in the U.S., on Main Street.  She displays her newest pieces annually at the New York City Gift Show, held in August.  To celebrate the recent birth of his Royal Highness Prince George, she has introduced a pair of baby cups and saucers.

Mary Rose’s art can be purchased at select stores in the U.S. (including LCR) and on her website.  Her work has attracted its share of celebrity buyers, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, the British Royal Family, Mika, Lilly Allen, Burt Reynolds, Steven Tyler, and Demi Moore.  In 2007, her art attracted media attention after Ozzy Osbourne’s Mary Rose Young teacup and saucer fetched $1,650 in a charity auction of his possessions.