MELISSA BLAND [1995, Painting]
Based in Waltham, MA
Melissa Bland’s interest in and exploration of other mediums was nurtured by RISD’s pedagogy. Outside of painting, she has also immersed herself in graphic design, ceramics, and interior design. A preoccupation with color, surface, tactility, and graphic quality has underpinned these pursuits. She has found that each discipline informs the other in unexpected ways, leading to new lines of discovery and unique visual solutions.
Melissa is a ceramicist at Mudflat Studios in Somerville, Massachusetts. Primarily, she creates functional, wheel-thrown pottery in dark stoneware. Surface pattern and texture are a central focus. In many of the pieces, the pattern devolves, either fragmenting or terminating awkwardly. Patterns inherently repeat, but she seeks patterns that subvert expectation, reflecting life’s unpredictability and instability.
