Meet the Artist: Bridgman Pottery
Today, we're excited to introduce you to Melissa Bridgman, a Tennessee-based ceramicist whose love for vintage china and the vibrant natural world beautifully intertwines in her pottery.
Melissa’s artistic path is deeply rooted in her Southern heritage and personal history, blending her academic background in Southern Studies and History with her passion for pottery. Her exclusive collection for Cailíní Coastal, inspired by her cherished experiences by the sea and her keen eye for antique aesthetics, showcases her unique ability to meld tradition with nature. Dive deeper into Melissa’s world and discover how her artistic vision comes to life in each piece. We can't wait for you to explore the collection.
xx Meg
(Credit: Bridgman Pottery)
CC: Where are you based?
MB: I have a 100 year old bungalow in midtown Memphis, TN where my husband I brought up our son and a rotating pack of labrador retrievers. I work out of our converted attic with one assistant.
CC: Tell us about your background and how you got your start as an artist.
MB: I have an interdisciplinary MA in Southern Studies from the University of Mississippi, focusing on fieldwork and self-taught art. My BA is in History and American Studies and I focused on museum work, specifically material culture collections. I have always been an artist but never intended to be a professional artist. After I married and moved back to Memphis, I was between jobs and took a community center pottery course that quickly became a passion. I used these skills with former teaching experience to become a teaching artist for short-term elementary residencies then worked in the education department of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. I quickly realized that I needed to choose one or the other for full time work and chose pottery.
(Credit: Bridgman Pottery)
CC: How would you describe the style of your pottery?
MB: My work is meant to be used- inspired by the vintage china of my grandmothers, nature, and my sketchbooks. I collect both ironstone and blue and white china from all sources- from English and French transferware to antique Chinese Export pieces.
CC: What inspires your work?
MB: My work is inspired by antique china, my garden, and the natural world around me. I am fortunate to live in walking distance to Overton Park, a 342 acre city park which contains a 172 acre virgin old growth forest. I love to explore the trails with my dog and sketchbook and catalog what’s blooming.
(Credit: Bridgman Pottery)
CC: Tell us about this collection and what inspired it.
MB: Though I am landlocked, I am inspired by the ocean and oysters are one of my favorite celebratory foods. The porcelain oyster shells were inspired by a trip to New Orleans in 2013. I began making oyster plates in 2017. I love seeing photos of them in use! The oyster plates have become my most-produced item.
(Credit: Bridgman Pottery)
CC: What do you enjoy painting most?
MB: Botanicals, though on my last trip to Maine I found myself sitting on a beach painting oysters!
CC: When you’re not painting, what will we find you doing?
MB: Gardening and kayaking area swamps, or working at a Saturday morning breakfast for the neighbors around St. Mary’s Cathedral in downtown Memphis.
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