Did you know that AMCAW is managed and run by a large team of volunteers? All metal clay artists, they share their professional skills and energy to help AMCAW create and bring you more programs, tutorials, and fun. We thought you’d enjoy meeting some of these fabulous volunteers – and perhaps become a volunteer yourself!
Marianne Donohoe first found silver clay in 2014 after her veterinarian gave her a paw print of her dog who had just died. With 4 children and herself all wanting a memento, she looked into how paw print charms were made and then took a beginner’s workshop followed by a paw print charm one. Marianne then went on to do other workshops and obtained her Level 1 Diploma in Art Clay Silver in December 2015, attaining Level 2 certification a few years later. She gained her Higher Diploma in 2022. During the pandemic lockdown she obtained PMC certifications online and achieved PMC Instructor level. Marianne is looking forward to meeting up with old friends and making new ones at Sinter 2024. Â
Marianne has several design ideas and there are a couple that she is working on, so we will see what happens with them.
The most special class Marianne has taken was a masterclass at YCMI in 2018 with Lis-el Crowley. Marianne is glad she had the opportunity to meet her and learn from her. She has taken two of Terry Kovalcik’s masterclasses which were truly inspirational as he has such a different style compared to the way Marianne usually works. She was also very excited to be able to teach her own masterclass at MCAS 2023 and meet so many of her American contemporaries. It was an amazing experience.
We have a basketball player in our midst! Marianne used to play basketball and was in the Ladies Scottish National premier league when it was first started. She is also a watercolour artist and likes to paint nature and wildlife. (See her recent painting of Archie the Whippet, a commissioned portrait.) She struggles with portraits but did a life drawing class when her kids were all at school which was fun and took her out of her comfort zone.
Marianne lives in Whitley in Wiltshire, South West England not far from the historic city of Bath. Find her online at greycloudsandsilverlinings.co.uk and on Instagram and Facebook, @greycloudsandsilverlinings.
