Marilyn was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan but, grew up in Los Angeles, California. Even as a child, she loved country music, watching westerns on T.V. and frequenting museums of the southwest. Now she has come full circle, living in the Tonto National forest in Arizona with her husband Chuck and experiencing first hand from her studio assistant Christy Docter, all about cowboy life. Christy's husband Louis runs a ranch and Marilyn eagerly sees for herself exactly what this "western life" that she has always loved is all about. She is then able to accurately portray this world in her batiks. Through her friendship and experiences with Native Americans, she depicts their traditions in her work as well.

In the fifth grade, Marilyn did a still life with pastels that completely turned her on to creating art. At that point she decided that one day she would become a professional artist. After graduating from the University of California in 1965, she was able to fulfill that dream.

In 1970 Marilyn learned the art of batik from her cousin, Miriam Ariav, a prominent batik teacher in Israel and truly found her passion with this medium. She creates her batiks using the ancient, traditional Indonesian process of drawing with hot wax and then dying the fabric. Her works are known for their intricate detail. Each piece may contain from ten to twenty-five separate dye baths.

Marilyn's work has been widely exhibited and can be found in private, corporate and government collections world-wide. A recipient of many awards, Marilyn has lectured and led workshops at universities, museums and conferences all over the world. She has been an invitational artist for the Ryman Foundation through Walt Disney for the past ten years. Marilyn has had several museum shows and also served as a co-curator. In 2006 Marilyn was a first place award winner in the Phippen Museum show. Her work is published in "Batiks for Artists and Quilters."

Her creations have been chosen to be exhibited in invitational batik exhibits internationally. This includes Belgium and Germany as well as the World Batik Conference in Boston.

Marilyn was honored to be selected for the special Millennium edition of Who's Who in American Women, as well as Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in the World. She is represented by Judith Hale Gallery in Los Olivos, California; Story Teller in Silverton, Co. and Carefree, Arizona; and Galleries West in Jackson, Wyoming.

"It is the mystery of batik that continues to enthrall and challenge me. My world of batik is a magical, humbling one, where my path is strewn with colors, swirling, crackling patterns emerging, and astonishing intricacy. It's an intriguing, captivating world, never predictable. My life's lessons are all here with this illusive process-patience to allow the batik to unfold in its own way, harmony between me and my work, and working from deep within is my ultimate life's calling."