Mary Fuller

“La Diosa de Los Vientos” by Mary Fuller, 2007, strikes an imposing figure at the entrance to our plaza this summer. Wind goddess, one of a group of wind sculptures currently in progress by Fuller, has quickly established herself as a local favorite with her imposing ten-foot-high concrete façade and her wind-activated moving parts. She is made of carved concrete, copper pipes, and mole chasers. “The Greek wind deities were male, but why not female?” challenged Fuller. “Supposedly so talkative … maybe windy as well.”

“I have always felt alienated from Western European culture as a source of my art, and my sculpture has been very profoundly influenced by Pre-Columbian and African work. If my sculpture comes close to achieving the vitality, the strength, humor and humanity of the work of the unknown artists from those cultures, I shall be very proud, because they are my esthetic and artistic guides.”  Fuller lived in Mexico for a year before settling into her Sonoma County home – “that was the first time I saw the real (Pre-Columbian) stuff. They were really good: such a perfection of line. I think it was the seriousness of it as art that really got to me,” she said.

Fuller has been a researcher for The Archives of American Art, and she has written extensively about art in a variety of art magazines. Her book, “A Period of Exploration” was published by the Oakland Museum in 1973, in conjunction with a three month exhibition of the work discussed in the book. She carves directly into concrete rather than using molds, and much of her work is grounded in natural symbols – animal totems and goddess figures.  Her works are installed in public and private places and exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the United States and Mexico.