Melissa Symmonds

"I mainly use mid-fire paper clay from Aardvark.  For pieces destined for outside use, I use Grande."

Primary forming method?

"I hand build, usually using a modified coil process."

Primary firing temperature?

"Primary firing temperature is cone 5-6."

Favorite surface treatment?

"My surface treatment depends on the piece.  Since I make animals - it is fur, scales, etc.  I  almost exclusively use under glazes.  The only glaze I use is on the eyes or anything else that is shiny.  For a mammal - maybe the claws and if a reptile has spikes, they may be shiny.  Sometimes I use varnish  to add just a little shine."

Alejandro

Herbert (detail from Koala Tree)

Alejandro

Koala Tree

Ursula

Edgar

Jorge

George

How/Where do you market and sell your artwork?

"I have sold via an install at the Silos, CH Clay Crawl, the Glassell Student Sale, and Georgetown installation.  Plus word of mouth. "

Diego

Martha (with Adam, Beatrice, Calvin, Donna, Edwin, Frances and Gordon)

"I have made things ever since I can remember and I love animals; they all have such individual personalities.  I love researching each species and recreating the personalities I see.  Clay is the medium that best lends itself to creating my critters.  I usually start with what animal I want to make and then go looking for pictures.  I need one that speaks to me.  Then I have to find pictures that fill in the rest of the animal.  I may end up with a dozen or more to get it all right - e.g what does the back foot look like and how big is it relative to the overall size."             

Geraldine

The Lounger

Geraldine

The Lounger

"I was first introduced to ceramics in high school, where I fell in love with the medium.  I still have most of the pieces from that period, though they are somewhat the worse for wear after multiple moves.  Sadly, making a living intervened and I was unable to pursue ceramics except to take isolated classes.

 After retiring from a career in IT Management for the Petroleum Industry,  I returned to art as my new occupation.  I took classes at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts’ Glassell School of Art from 2014 - 2021.  Wanting to try different media, I took classes in Jewelry Making and Painting before returning to Ceramics as my medium of choice. 

Since returning to Ceramics, I have been learning and creating steadily more complex pieces.  Each new animal is a different kind of challenge.  The best part is - I am still loving it!"

How have you have taken your experience as a well-established maker in the field and passed that knowledge along to your other artists?

"I have always helped those who could use a guiding hand.  I've taught a couple of classes and demonstrated my processes whenever asked."

What’s the best advice you’ve been given by a fellow maker, mentor, or teacher?

“It doesn't have to be perfect."