About the Artist 

Mary Kinzel Means is an award-winning, nationally collected ceramic sculptor based in Roswell, Georgia. Growing up in Roanoke, Virginia, she was captivated by her grandfather’s paintings and spent countless hours watching him work in his studio. Those early experiences left a lasting impression and sparked a lifelong passion for art.

After earning a BA in Art History and Psychology from the University of Tennessee, Mary moved to Atlanta, drawn to its lively art environment. There, she founded Taylor Kinzel Gallery, which she operated for over two decades. In 2020, she closed the gallery to devote herself fully to her own artistic practice.

Mary’s primary focus is figurative sculpture in mixed-media ceramics. Through her work, she seeks to create a bridge between the grounded, tactile nature of clay and a more spiritual imaginative realm. “Peaceful” is the word most often used to describe her work. “I strive to capture a sense of lightness and fully embrace the spiritual quality that emerges through my work. It may sound unusual to some, but I can feel an energy moving through the clay, almost as though I am capturing the presence of a visitor from above. When I work, I feel only lightness; stress and negativity seem to disappear the moment my hands touch the clay. I hope that sense of peace and connection is felt by those who experience my creations.”

Mary's work can be found in galleries and private collections across the country. Select recent juried exhibits include The Swan Coach House Gallery Winter Invitational, Atlanta Ga, Quinlan Arts Center 70th Anniversary Show, Gainesville Ga, The Reeves House Visual Arts Center "Artists of the South", Woodstock Ga, and The Marietta Cobb Museum of Art "Metro Montage", Atlanta Ga.