Mary initially studied painting, and as an additional subject pottery. Her pots tend to be vehicles for her decoration, conveying her statement about colour and form, and the combination of certain glazes and lustres.  Her designs are geometric, and she uses precious metal lustres of gold, copper and bronze for outlining. Each colour is applied freehand using a very fine brush, while each design is filled with other coloured lustres. Firing is a further creative part of the process. 

Having apprenticed with the old Crowan Pottery, Helston, which was famous for running its equipment by water-wheel, Mary opened her first pottery in Falmouth, and founded her present pottery near Truro in 1970. She is one of the gallery artists of the Stour Gallery, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire.