A local artist with a global lens, Marilyn Yakumithis brings heart, experience, and creative energy to her new role as manager of Sunshine Studios.
A Southview High School alum, Marilyn began her artistic journey in Northwest Ohio, inspired early by the late art therapist Judy Dilloway, whose inclusive spirit still guides her today. She studied Sculpture and Jewelry + Metals at the Cleveland Institute of Art (2011–2015), where she was mentored by concept-driven professor Kathy Buszkiewicz, who taught her how to blend meaning with material.
After graduation, Marilyn spent several years in Chicago, serving as a studio monitor at Lillstreet Art Center, continuing her studies in jewelry and metals, and mentoring emerging artists. In 2018, her passion took her abroad to Athens, Greece, for a residency at the Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum—where her work is now part of the permanent collection.
Marilyn returned to Toledo in 2019, teaching an after-school art program in Detroit and building a home metals studio with the help of two Toledo Arts Commission Accelerator Grants. Her work during this time was also featured at New York Jewelry Week.
Now based in Maumee, Marilyn leads Sunshine Studios with a steady hand and an open heart. While metalsmithing remains her favorite medium—especially the processes of saw piercing and lost wax casting—she’s excited to explore new materials like clay and support artists as they discover fresh techniques.
“I’m excited to help artists grow professionally,” she says. “They do so much here, and I want to learn what drives each of them.”
Stepping into a role once held by beloved artist Larry, Marilyn is committed to honoring the studio’s legacy—preserving its spirit while helping it evolve.