Trained as a musician, Marilyn Lindsley branched out to study figure drawing, calligraphy, ceramics and fiber arts. She started working with polymer clay in the 1980s and now creates mostly with polymer to make jewelry and objects of art. She is self-taught and has benefitted from study of the work of artists who explored this relatively new medium.

She lives and works in the Willamette Valley of Western Oregon, where she participates in local art fairs and is represented by several regional galleries.

Recent work is characterized by abstract surface designs and simple, elegant shapes. Layers of opaque and translucent clay are combined and re-combined to reveal intense colors and patterns that give a sense of depth and movement. Constant experimentation has led to custom-designed tools. The addition of aluminum bezels contributes to the excitement and challenge of discovery.