Melanie Thompson

Medium: Ceramics

DESCRIPTION: A fusion of clean lines, organic shapes and a palette that is simply delicious.  Multiple layers of pigment are hand-applied, building rich texture and a dreamy, tactile finish that begs to be touched!

CREATIVE BEGINNINGS: Melanie has always loved color and composition. In fact, her mom had no chance to read her magazines before Melanie pilfered them to make collages. It was pure excitement. She loved seeing colors measured against each other, especially tone on tone. 

ARTISTIC PATH: A restaurant was Melanie's first serious creative endeavor, but by an odd set of circumstances she was offered a job with a friend in her ceramics studio.  It was there she learned how to handle and read clay. She liked it. 

Melanie’s Eggware Collection began in 1998, selling at the Hood River Saturday Market. The experience was invaluable. It was there she learned how to display, price and sell her work. More importantly, she learned that the aesthetic which was so appealing to her was well- received by others. Game on.

PROCESS AND INSPIRATION: The simplicity for which the Mid-Century Scandinavian designers are recognized is integral to Melanie’s sense of design. She enjoys looking through a magnifying glass at the ‘commons’ of creation — fascinated by the perfect order of growing things and a world of detail she might have missed otherwise. 

Interestingly, Melanie collects rocks of all sizes to use as base forms for much of her work. A white low fire clay body provides a fresh canvas. Multiple layers of pigment and glaze are hand applied, burnished to build rich color and texture. Sgrafitto carving and pencil line drawings provide an endless variety of graphics such as stylized botanicals and abstract topography. 

While working on a piece Melanie likes to imagine who will take it home, how it will be used and how it will enhance one’s living space. Functional work is especially satisfying — ‘rediscovering’ the piece each time it’s admired, touched, each time it’s used. 

LIFE AS A GORGE ARTIST: Melanie’s home and studio are in Hood River, nestled in the spectacular Columbia River Gorge. The exquisite beauty of the surroundings provides her with endless visual feasting. On any given day she finds opportunity to witness incredible backlight, negative space, high contrast, and silhouette. 

While it’s a joy to make beautiful artware in such a spectacular environment, Melanie also claims the real value has been the people and the circumstances that the making and selling brings to her life experience.

HOW TO LEARN MORE:

  • ASK A QUESTION: The works shown here are not necessarily available and are shown as examples only. Contact us to learn more about availability and cost for works by this artist.

  • GET THE NEWSLETTER: Fill in the form at the bottom of this page to sign up for 301’s mostly monthly newsletter.