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Melissa Perrigo
Mel Perrigo grew up in both Southern California and southern Missouri. She attended Northwest Missouri State University
where she graduated in 1995 with a BFA in Ceramics. Mel pursued her ceramics career in both Ohio and Iowa before
moving to Vancouver, Washington in 2006. She is a member of the Oregon Potter's Association (OPA) and of the Mosaic
Arts Alliance, Sixth Street Gallery, Vancouver. She exhibits her art on her personal website, on Etsy.com and on
Myspace.com. Mel’s work is showcasesd at her home studio, at local galleries and she can also be seen as an occasional
vendor at 1st Thursdays in Portland, Oregon.
Artist Statement
Intentionality and Spontaneity...
My work is characterized by a striving for balance between intentionality and spontaneity-- each piece is hand-crafted,
shaped and molded according to my imagination and skill; essentially, it is the active pursuit of an aesthetic idea.
The firing process, however, introduces an element of randomness, spontaneity; it is a force of nature to which I
surrender the piece. The result is a blending of craft and chance, reason and passion, skill and luck. My work also
exhibits a consciousness of the tactile elements of pottery. The way a piece feels should be as enjoyable and as
varied as the way it looks. My ceramics have a distinctly minimal and earthy feel, reminiscent of qualities in nature
and various primitive cultures. Every piece is a unique work of art; a marked departure from the ordinary.
Technique
My ceramic art consists of hand-built stoneware or earthenware clay. Each piece is slab-constructed, either free-form,
or by using a draping technique either over or into a mold, called ‘Slump/Hump’. Forms range from coarse,
rolling-pin-pressed designs with occasional glazed or burnished accents, various tiles, and feminine-inspired wares.
I have two very different firing techniques...
First: The vessels intended for Smoke-firing are fired in an electric kiln to cone 06-04, leaving the body hard but
still porous. The pieces are then buried in newspaper within a metal container and the paper is ignited. As the paper
burns the pieces absorb the carbon from the smoke. This smoke-firing process allows for a very distinctive, unique
coloring. Although the patterns created by the smoke are random, various techniques, such as applying a slip resist
or glaze accent, create areas of contrast and color. Because the work is low-fired and unglazed, it is primary for
decorative use and not suitable for liquids or most foods.
Second: My feminine wares are fired to cone 04, mason stained on the exterior to highlight the various textures,
then glazed on the inside with bright, glossy glazes. The result is a tactile and visual experience between the
natural surface of the clay and the glossy color of the interior. These pieces are suitable for foods and liquids.
Melissa Perrigo's Artwork at Redhare
Artist's Web Site: www.MarkedDeparture.com
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