Fresh Functional Art Pottery

Eggware has been described as the Flintstones meet Fiesta ware, so it stands to reason that Melanie Thompson’s colorful functional art tableware and accent pieces have wide appeal. They’re oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe as well as aesthetically pleasing.

Melanie builds a prototype, then makes a mold upon which future items are based. It would be wrong however, to think that this is some type of production pottery. Whether it’s a push and a pull to the greenware, the surface graphics, the stains, or dimensional elements applied to the piece, each is handled, loved and tweaked into being. Melanie uses slabwork, casting, and demi-sculptural techniques to bring her work to life.

If you’re fortunate enough to set an entire table with Melanie’s work, you’ll delight at the colors, and the interplay between shapes and sizes. You could entertain yourself for hours experimenting with different combinations of place settings.

Even adding a single vase or a few small bowls to a table is a visual treat.

You can contact Melanie through her website or purchase through Twiggs gallery in Hood River, Oregon or Mary Lou Zeek Gallery in Salem, Oregon. If you happen to be in the mood for a great spring event, Melanie opens her workshop for the Gorge Artists Open Studios event. The above video is one of several podcasts about the Hood River area in spring.

I have some of Melanie’s work. I love it. It’s always fresh. It never fails to make me smile.