Mary Anne began her studies in the arts at Johannesburg College of Art in South Africa. Graduating in Graphic Design, she went on to work as a designer in an advertising agency. In 1986 she moved to the United States to continue her career in design for both live performing arts and graphics applications.
In 1993 her love of fine jewelry prompted her to take a series of metalsmithing courses and she began working on a line of one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry.
Mary Anne has traveled extensively through Africa, Europe, and North America, and the influences of many cultures have aroused a primitive feeling in her work. She is inspired by organic images and the tactile qualities of her materials and processes. Balance is the key to Mary Anne's pieces. The balance of color, shape - both amorphic and asymmetric, the balance of textures - both natural and mechanical, and the balance of media - including 22 karat gold, fresh water pearls, and semi-precious stones, all find a sense of balance and fusion in her composed pieces. The interpretation of each piece suggests a personal and unique impression for the individual who wears it.