Margaret Melanson is a painter and ceramic artist from Louisiana who currently lives and works from her home studio in Portland Maine. Margaret began making pottery in her teens, but her itinerant lifestyle led her to focus her artistic pursuits on mediums like painting and fabric arts that could easily travel with her from state to state. After settling in Maine in the late '90s, Margaret devoted herself to making pottery fulltime, and brought the design and color sensibilities from her painting, as well as the cultural influences from her travels, to her ceramic work.
Margaret makes functional stoneware pottery that incorporates her love of simple forms with intricate design work. All of her pieces are one-of-a-kind, with each design hand painted or carved to fit the particular piece. Her carved work matches earth toned glazes with patterns influenced by motifs from ancient cultures, geometrical designs, and patterns from nature. Her wax resist pieces utilize a more colorful palette with more fluid, floral and whimsical designs. Above all else, Margaret focuses on the functionality of each piece she makes- how will this bowl or cup feel in someone's hand? How will this design complement the food that is placed on it?
As a potter and photographer in Maine, Ru takes inspiration from the bountiful natural world around her and incorporates it into her art. She makes both functional and sculptural pottery that reflects the curiosity of her creative self though a variety of forms, surface treatments, and esthetics. She has a diverse body of work that ranges from utilizing natural textures to her own animal designs and Maine logos to fanciful sculpted figures. Ru hopes that those who see her pottery can find a piece that speaks to them and brings them excitement to encounter it.
Ru uses stoneware, earthenware, and lead-free glazes to create microwaveable and dishwasher-safe pieces ready for everyday use.
Her photography tends to explore the small-scale, everyday wonders of nature or create abstract scenes to capture the imagination of its viewers. Most photos are taken in central Maine.
