We recently connected with Melissa Reddick and have shared our conversation below.
Melissa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
Modern History Clay Works, LLC, ceramic studio and woman owned business, was founded 5 years ago by artist, Melissa Reddick with the goal of providing story based, handmade ceramics to the retail and wholesale markets. Five collections are now offered which are distinctly different in technique and presentation while sharing one very important principal. Every handmade ceramic piece is created to celebrate the story beyond the surface. Not simply about image, texture, and finish, these pieces strive to tell us a story of people and places in time which are often intensely personal to the maker and in the case of custom pieces, the eventual owner of the piece. This infused story within the art serves to elevate it to a level of meaning that goes well beyond form, aesthetic, and function. The stories are offered in a variety of ways. Utilizing a technique perfected by Reddick, the pieces in the Goldies™ Heirloom Collection speak to us through the faces seen in vintage photos of loved ones smiling up from the clay’s surface,. The Coley Tatting Collection pieces tell their stories through textures created with antique kitchen tools, well loved buttons from Sunday dresses worn long ago, and century old handmade tatting made by the artist’s great grandmother, Melissa Coley (1865-1943). Goldies™ Story Cups, the newest of the collections, tells the story of the woman who owns the cup with words highlighting her joys and passions. “Once upon a time, there was a woman who loved…” It is both an honor and a privilege to create these simple clay pieces which in an almost magical way, serve to celebrate the stories of so many hearts. Without a doubt, with both people and pottery, it is the story beyond the surface that always makes the magic.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
In the summer and fall of 2021, my growing business was booming. I had many orders for custom pieces through my website and an online partner I get a large volume of custom orders from. In addition to these, I had several wholesale partners/ shops/ galleries who had placed orders for the holidays that needed to be filled. Although I had one part time helper at the time, one of these orders, for 150 pie plates, would need to be made by me since at the time I was the only one who was proficient on the pottery wheel. Then life interfered. My parents, ages, 86 and 85, who lived in their home one state away, suddenly and critically needed more care. We spent countless days and weeks shuttling back and forth over the mountains dividing Tennessee and North Carolina getting them settled in an assisted living facility and then clearing their home of over 5o years of items so it could be sold. Finally, on October 30th, I returned home to my family and studio after the final trip. I had left so much undone in order to care for them and I knew it would be a lot to face upon my return. Even so, I felt grateful to have my parents in a good place where they could receive care and was generally optimistic that I could manage to complete all that I had left to do, even the 150 pie plates. Two days later, while walking my dog, I broke my right hand. It looked as though I would not be to complete anything and I worried that my career was over. I gave it some time while trying to decide what to do about the orders, knowing that I had made a commitment to these other business owners who were depending on my work and the individuals who had ordered many custom pieces for gifts. There were no other potters available at that time of year with the time to be able to do this work. Either I had to do it or it would go undone. To this day I can’t believe that we were able to accomplish all of this but we did. My assistant was a great help and together we managed to develop new ways to make the pieces without the use if my dominant hand. As for the 150 pie plates, they were made using my left hand which after 30 years of right handed throwing, I taught myself to throw with. It was a miracle and a life lesson. Don’t give up and you will find a way to accomplish whatever you need to. I’ll never forget it.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Although I sell directly through my website, sharing my work with wholesale partners has been fundamental to the growth of my company. I prefer to meet them where they can see my work in person and hear the story behind the pieces. Recent shows I have attended include Americasmart Atlanta and American Handcrafted. The exposure have had through these venues is remarkable. Wholesale customers from brick and mortar and online shops, galleries, and museum stores now represent about 90% of my business through prepaid orders. Many also serve to promote my business in areas I could never reach by providing maker stories.
Contact Info:
- Website: modernhistoryclayworks.com
- Instagram: @modernhistoryclayworks
Image Credits
Photos: David Ramsey Hunt and York Tim Robison