ABOUT
Bio
.jpg)
Michelle Summers (b. 1981, Oregon) is a studio artist and lecturer based in Akron, Ohio, specializing in functional art and ceramics. She holds a BFA in Ceramics from Alfred University and an MFA from the University of Minnesota. Michelle has taught and lectured at residencies, art centers, and universities both nationally and internationally.
From 2014 to 2019, she served as an artist-in-residence at esteemed institutions, including the Northern Clay Center, the Archie Bray Foundation, and the Holter Museum of Art. Her work has been featured in DPI Magazine and Ceramics: Contemporary Artists Working in Clay by Kate Singleton, highlighting her innovative approach to ceramics and pottery.
Artist Statement
My work bridges art and craft. I create pottery that is not only functional but also serves as a canvas for illustrating landscapes with abstract patterns and figurative characters. These illustrations convey expressive content in each piece, depicting narratives that explore the complexities of both imagined and reality-based existence. Currently, my work is driven by themes of searching for place, the journey of living, the use of humour to transform pain into joy, and cultural commentary.
I choose pottery as a medium because of its familiarity and welcoming presence, which we all cultivate through our daily lives. The intimacy of this object allows me to introduce an artful experience in an unexpected way. The pottery invites relaxed exploration, as some details take time to discover, creating a sense of surprise and playfulness for both the user and the viewer.
I intentionally and passionately strive for mastery in my craft, aiming to bring a level of beauty and detail that mesmerises and draws the viewer's gaze closer. Upon closer examination, discovery unfolds, revealing that the symbols and characters may carry profound narratives. The illustrations are carefully placed to evoke a sense of a weightless, dream-like world without parameters. This effect draws inspiration from my studies in historical Japanese and Chinese landscape painting and ceramics. I envision the pots as three-dimensional paintings, where rotating the pottery is essential to unveiling hidden details and experiencing new, picturesque moments, akin to unrolling Chinese landscape scroll paintings. The inherent quality of reveal and conceal in three-dimensional objects is a key aspect of my attraction to pottery as a form of art.