Marianne Smaczylo was a Glass Sculpture Artist who attended the Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia. She was lovingly known by her classmates and colleagues as M. Interested in dreamscapes, underwater worlds, and bubble eggs, M expressed these concepts through oil paintings, screen-printing, and of course glass. As a staff member at Pilchuck in Stanwood Washington, she had the opportunity to teach her skills to other glassblowers. Happy to visit what she called “Glass’s Home” Marianne was influenced by the time she spent in Italy, particularly Florence. Early on in her education she installed her piece “Swarm” in a common area of Tyler where passing students could experience a hivemind of green bubbles during their commute to class. 

Her thesis “Guided Dream” debuted at The Stella Elkins Tyler Gallery at Temple University in 2019. The installation featured screen-printed textures that were projected through a kaleidoscope-like photo of a glass sphere, which radiated off clusters of colored bubbles. Each egg-like globe held within it the possibility of an entire universe inside its shell, and the light which was emitted cast textures of foreign planes within time and space onto the adjacent walls. The concept of the microcosm inspired M to begin a series of related paintings. Due to the mixed media involvement of this piece, M began to rethink what kind of artist she was and expand past her limitations. Her dedicated work ethic allowed her to continue to create through her illness. While she was satisfied with her work, she was compelled to push it further still.   

Roller skate meetups served as a physical outlet for her when her health permitted it and allowed her body to feel boundless. It was commonplace for Mare to keep an iridescent hula hoop and quads in the car. “Just in case”. Her precious skater friendships extended her friendship community beyond that of family, Hallahan Sisters, and the artworld. Mare had the ability to quickly connect and open a friendship, even during her chemo, radiation, and subsequent hospitalizations. Opening a roller-skating rink in an inner-city area was her dream as she wanted to share the freedom the sport gave her.

M was a woman of few words, and many thoughts. Due to the short nature of her life, one must observe her work to comprehend her deep introspection. 

“This is how I define thought in and of itself
 It’s liquid
 It’s electric
 It’s warm
 It buzzes
 It hums
 It’s emotion
 It’s knowledge
 It can be too much
 It’s everything
 But it must be experienced
 It’s like swimming in a strawberry milk pool full of electric jellyfish.” – M

In the early morning of August 12,1996 during a light mist of rain, Marianne was born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Believing she was the gift of answered prayers, her mother fell in love with her immediately, yet her older sister only 6, was afraid to touch her out of fear that she would shatter and break. It wouldn’t be long before the two would become inseparable. Early on Marianne became known to her mother as the “I Do Girl” because she refused any help in learning to zip her jacket or other childhood tasks. She was fiercely independent throughout her life, working while a student and living on her own in Center City. Self-taught in guitar and ukulele Mare was able to play music by ear due to her early foundations in piano and the clarinet. At John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School, she was in all honors and A.P. classes but ultimately, she chose to pursue art.    

Marianne left the earth late into the night of September 16th, 2021, during a misty rain. She was only 25. She is survived by her sister Christine Smaczylo, and her mother Mary Lou Smaczylo. She is also survived by her father Walter Smaczylo and her cat named Chicken. 

Family and friends are invited to celebrate her existence at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, Pa on Monday September 27th, 2021. Family greeting begins at 12:30pm  and Mass will start at 1:00pm in the historic Barn Chapel past the cemetery. After she is laid to rest, her family invites you to share a luncheon on site where her art will be on display.  

In lieu of flowers, family would prefer donations be made to Pilchuck Glass School scholarship fund in honor/memory of Marianne Smaczylo,  to www.Pilchuck.org.  Please copy and paste link below:  

https://pilchuck.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/AnnualFundDonatePage/PilchuckDonationPage/tabid/889372/Default.aspx  and follow the prompts.