About

The Artist

Melissa Wilcox is an active potter in Woodbury, Minnesota. She works out of her home studio, selling her wares at art shows, the Stillwater Art Guild Gallery, and online.

She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from UW Stout in 1993, then pivoted to pursue a degree in Pathology. She recently retired as a Pathologist’s Assistant at Children’s Hospitals of Minnesota after a 27 year career to pursue her love of pottery, starting a new adventure, Mela Pottery.

The Art

The pottery I create is stoneware, mid-fire red and white with earthy glazes pulling from nature’s inspiration. Much of the pottery is thrown on the wheel with sculptural clay elements and carvings. Twine and vine are often incorporated into pieces to add dimension.

I grew up on a farm in rural Wisconsin, and my work is heavily influenced by nature. That background translates into the roughened or burnished textures, variegated color, and raw clay appearance of each piece. I find myself constantly awestruck by the visual interplay of color, texture, pattern and nature form. This experience is ever-changing, as is my work. In many instances, the clay has a mind of its own and pulls into something I didn’t anticipate. There have been wonderful mistakes and mysteries along the way, which, as any artist will tell you, is part of growth and experience.

Every opening of my kiln elicits a happy dance. The good, beautiful, and not so beautiful are my creations first to visualize. It is my driving force to refine and push again to a new level.

I hope you enjoy the work as much as I enjoy creating it. Although I revisit similar themes, each is one-of-a-kind with its own visual texture and design.