Marian Jane McClure Wood (1909-1983), Ceramic Artist, Devoted Wife, and Mother of Three
The beloved only child of machinist Brice Larimer McClure (1878-1970) and Floyda Mabel Steiner (1878-1948), Marian was born on 29 April 1909 and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. While working for an insurance firm during the Great Depression, she met an adjustor and musician, Edgar James Wood (1903-1986), who shared her love of piano. They married on 4 March 1935 and moved to Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where their two sons and a daughter grew up hearing music in their home.
Once her children were in school, Marian became interested in ceramic sculpture. She took lessons from a well-known artist, Edris Eckhardt, who lived around the corner. Edris had been a local leader in the Federal Arts Project and her art was exhibited around the world. Edris taught Marian how to create, glaze, and fire ceramic sculptures of animals with a delicate yet realistic touch. Soon Marian was so immersed in ceramics that her husband and her father built her a kiln in the basement, so she could fire her sculptures at any hour.
Like all Cleveland-area artists, Marian aspired to have her works shown in the Cleveland Museum of Art's prestigious May Show. She succeeded with four sculptures: "Zebra" in 1948, "Spring Night" and "Zebras" in 1949, and "The Champ" in 1950. She also taught ceramics for a few years. Marian held a part-time secretarial job at a Cleveland surgeon's office for a number of years after her children were grown. When her husband Edgar retired, they enjoyed international travel each year. In 1972, they moved from Cleveland to Pittsfield, Massachusetts to be close to grandchildren. After a long illness, Marian died at home in Pittsfield on 11 January 1983.
Contributor: M Wood (47749921)
The beloved only child of machinist Brice Larimer McClure (1878-1970) and Floyda Mabel Steiner (1878-1948), Marian was born on 29 April 1909 and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. While working for an insurance firm during the Great Depression, she met an adjustor and musician, Edgar James Wood (1903-1986), who shared her love of piano. They married on 4 March 1935 and moved to Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where their two sons and a daughter grew up hearing music in their home.
Once her children were in school, Marian became interested in ceramic sculpture. She took lessons from a well-known artist, Edris Eckhardt, who lived around the corner. Edris had been a local leader in the Federal Arts Project and her art was exhibited around the world. Edris taught Marian how to create, glaze, and fire ceramic sculptures of animals with a delicate yet realistic touch. Soon Marian was so immersed in ceramics that her husband and her father built her a kiln in the basement, so she could fire her sculptures at any hour.
Like all Cleveland-area artists, Marian aspired to have her works shown in the Cleveland Museum of Art's prestigious May Show. She succeeded with four sculptures: "Zebra" in 1948, "Spring Night" and "Zebras" in 1949, and "The Champ" in 1950. She also taught ceramics for a few years. Marian held a part-time secretarial job at a Cleveland surgeon's office for a number of years after her children were grown. When her husband Edgar retired, they enjoyed international travel each year. In 1972, they moved from Cleveland to Pittsfield, Massachusetts to be close to grandchildren. After a long illness, Marian died at home in Pittsfield on 11 January 1983.
Contributor: M Wood (47749921)
Marian Jane McClure Wood (1909-1983), Ceramic Artist, Devoted Wife, and Mother of Three
The beloved only child of machinist Brice Larimer McClure (1878-1970) and Floyda Mabel Steiner (1878-1948), Marian was born on 29 April 1909 and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. While working for an insurance firm during the Great Depression, she met an adjustor and musician, Edgar James Wood (1903-1986), who shared her love of piano. They married on 4 March 1935 and moved to Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where their two sons and a daughter grew up hearing music in their home.
Once her children were in school, Marian became interested in ceramic sculpture. She took lessons from a well-known artist, Edris Eckhardt, who lived around the corner. Edris had been a local leader in the Federal Arts Project and her art was exhibited around the world. Edris taught Marian how to create, glaze, and fire ceramic sculptures of animals with a delicate yet realistic touch. Soon Marian was so immersed in ceramics that her husband and her father built her a kiln in the basement, so she could fire her sculptures at any hour.
Like all Cleveland-area artists, Marian aspired to have her works shown in the Cleveland Museum of Art's prestigious May Show. She succeeded with four sculptures: "Zebra" in 1948, "Spring Night" and "Zebras" in 1949, and "The Champ" in 1950. She also taught ceramics for a few years. Marian held a part-time secretarial job at a Cleveland surgeon's office for a number of years after her children were grown. When her husband Edgar retired, they enjoyed international travel each year. In 1972, they moved from Cleveland to Pittsfield, Massachusetts to be close to grandchildren. After a long illness, Marian died at home in Pittsfield on 11 January 1983.
Contributor: M Wood (47749921)
The beloved only child of machinist Brice Larimer McClure (1878-1970) and Floyda Mabel Steiner (1878-1948), Marian was born on 29 April 1909 and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. While working for an insurance firm during the Great Depression, she met an adjustor and musician, Edgar James Wood (1903-1986), who shared her love of piano. They married on 4 March 1935 and moved to Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where their two sons and a daughter grew up hearing music in their home.
Once her children were in school, Marian became interested in ceramic sculpture. She took lessons from a well-known artist, Edris Eckhardt, who lived around the corner. Edris had been a local leader in the Federal Arts Project and her art was exhibited around the world. Edris taught Marian how to create, glaze, and fire ceramic sculptures of animals with a delicate yet realistic touch. Soon Marian was so immersed in ceramics that her husband and her father built her a kiln in the basement, so she could fire her sculptures at any hour.
Like all Cleveland-area artists, Marian aspired to have her works shown in the Cleveland Museum of Art's prestigious May Show. She succeeded with four sculptures: "Zebra" in 1948, "Spring Night" and "Zebras" in 1949, and "The Champ" in 1950. She also taught ceramics for a few years. Marian held a part-time secretarial job at a Cleveland surgeon's office for a number of years after her children were grown. When her husband Edgar retired, they enjoyed international travel each year. In 1972, they moved from Cleveland to Pittsfield, Massachusetts to be close to grandchildren. After a long illness, Marian died at home in Pittsfield on 11 January 1983.
Contributor: M Wood (47749921)
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