Mell - Goddess of Wisdom

I was born in Arumagawa, Japan and have lived in North Carolina more than half of my life. I consider myself a true blue Carolinian.

As a young woman, I studied art, mostly in the performing fields of ballet, modern dance, guitar and musical theater. Sculpture fell into my lap by accident…

My husband and I were in the hotel and restaurant business and I was decorating our restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina named Justine’s. As the theme was an Italian festival, I decided to make full-scale papier' mache people eating and sitting in the restaurant. From those first pieces I was offered several commissions and then a local gallery asked me to exhibit. I evolved later into using polymer clay and finally to my medium now, stoneware. I am a self taught artist—never took classes. Most of my beginning pieces were learning disasters. I enjoyed the primitive quality of my early works not striving for perfection but for emotion. As I hone my craft I am always looking backwards to go forward. My works really do reflect my life. All of my works whether large or small are all a part of me.

Pulling from my constantly flowing imagination, I create a world in clay that comes to life before your eyes -- each sculpture becomes a conversation piece.