Artist: Jennifer Mecca
Jennifer Mecca, North Carolina
Artist Statement:
I am a utilitarian potter who lives and works in Gaston County. I create pots that are visually
pleasing and unique, but also useful in everyday life.
I have two BFA in the Visual Arts and an MFA in Ceramics. I work full-time in my studio behind
my house and teach part-time at CPCC. I have been in many national juried shows and had my
work featured in Ceramics Monthly, Clay Times, and Ceramics Monthly. In 2018, Ceramics Arts
Daily featured me in one of their artist's videos and I have won 3 North Carolina Artist grants. I
am the founder of the Charlotte-based pottery group Thrown Together and have been a member
of the Carolina Designer Craftsmen Guild. My pieces are thrown on the potter's wheel and then
altered when wet. I use high-fire porcelain and embellish my pieces with different surface
techniques and glazes. My pieces are used in people's homes around the United States and I
enjoy selling my work at various craft fairs and on Etsy.
I enjoy making serving pieces and tableware that bring delight to the daily activity of eating,
setting a table, and enjoying a meal. While growing up, I spent many weekends observing and
participating in the traditions and rituals of my paternal Italian-American extended family.
Among the most prevalent of these traditions were the preparation and presentation of
elaborate meals. As a child, I observed how the tableware was as important as the planning,
preparation, and enjoyment. This was the foundation for my interest in utilitarian pottery and
my love of creating elaborate surfaces and forms.
The pots I create reflect the enjoyment I have for throwing, embellishing, creating, and using. I
enjoy creating each piece with its unique character and personality, whether I change a spout,
foot, rim, glaze color, or decorative element. All of my pieces are wheel-thrown and altered in
some way. Because of the rich color I get from the glazes I use, I enjoy working with porcelain. I
embellish my pots with handmade stamps, lusters, and incised drawings with black slips into my
pieces. The forms I make are usually organic, which stems from my love of the material I use,
and my personal preference for a fluid line. My inspirations for surfaces come from patterns in
fabric, paintings, nature, and historic dishware pottery.
I currently work from my home studio in Gastonia, North Carolina where I live with my
husband Joey, our son Quaid, and twin daughters Aydan and McKenna.