By TISHA ROTH "MONTECITO LIFE" February, 7 1991

Montecito artist Dean Mars has an evocative surname. Its single syllable calls forth allusions to art, history, literature, astronomy and ancient deities.

The name is a pleasant fit for a sculptor whose smooth stone carvings seem to have sprung seamlessly from a world of symbol and myth.

Most often Mars' forms are feminine. Sensuous and gently abstract in their creamy marble casings, they seem, like goddesses, to have achieved a state of timeless perfection.

Birth, nurturing, spiritual awakening and love, both spiritual and physical, are recurrent themes in Mars' work. By design, the visual impact is soft and pleasing, the emotional tone positive.

"There's no darkness in my work. There's no social commentary. I want people to feel a sense of lovingness," Mars said.

He finds dreams a common source of inspiration. "I am a prolific dreamer. I wake up in the morning with poems and images in my mind." he said.

Mars began his formal an training in 1969 at the Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. He said, "For artist, the instituto offered something for everyone, with classes in painting, carving, welding, weaving, print making, photography and just about everything."

A picturesque setting in a charming colonial town nestled in the mountains was one of the school's incidental pleasures. Another was Mars' extended courtship with a bright, attractive fellow student named Melinda. They married shortly after Mars received his master's of fine arts degree in 1973.

The couple has lived in Montecito in a tranquil home filled with antiques and art.

The art studio is just steps away, surrounded by trees and a flower garden.

In this studio, Mars began to explore the sculptural possibilities of quartz, a material he admires for its spiritual qualities as well as its translucent beauty. The artist makes no secret of the fact that he considers quartz a special stone.

"It pulsates," he said. "I've worked in wood and stone and they all take from you. They wear you out." In contrast, "quartz revitalizes and energizes me."

He believes that when properly cleared and charged, the stone can be programmed to do just about anything, from helping a person getting extra mileage on his car to falling in love.

Because quartz is a harder material than marble or wood, working it meant that Mars had to acquire new tools and new skills. Instead of a chisel, he now uses diamond-cutting tools to shape quartz and other hard stones into delicate/polished sculptures.

Two years ago. Mars and his wife began collaborating on small one-of-a-kind sculptures intended to be worn as jewelry. Working from a series of line drawings, Mars first conceives the basic design, then transforms it into a elegant sculpture in quartz, ebony or lapis lazuli. "The process takes many hours and requires both precision and patience," said Mars.

The final embellishments, which may include the addition of precious stones, are designed by Melinda. "She knows so well how a piece of jewelry should be adorned. She knows what other women want to wear," said Mars.

As with his larger works of art, the miniature sculptures are smooth and elegant, and pleasing to the eye and touch. Moreover, the sculptor believes, they are programmed for love, peace and positive visitations.