Melody Brock
Bio
I live, teach kindergarten, and create pottery in Rock Island, TN. I’m married and have two grown children. I graduated from TTU with a master’s degree in education and have been teaching since 2004. I’ve been creating art since I was old enough to hold a pencil, but making my own pottery had been something I’d always wanted to learn about. I finally decided I was going to make it happen and began my pottery journey in 2019 by watching videos, joining Facebook groups, and practicing a whole lot.
Describe your art/craft (medium, process, etc).
I make mostly handmade ceramic planters, but I also enjoy making other types of functional and decorative pieces. Often, I incorporate lace or floral impressions or hand sculpted creatures, like bees, chameleons, or dragonflies into my pieces.
What drives you to make your art/craft?
Creating pottery is good for the soul and allows an escape from our busy world. I especially love being able to create my own succulent planters, but I also enjoy spreading joy to others through art. My favorite parts in the process are sculpting pieces out of a chunk or slab of clay and also getting to the final stage where it’s time to open a finished glaze load and feeling like I’m a kid at Christmas every single time.
Who or what are your greatest influences?
I attribute my family as the biggest influence to the person I am today, but I believe every interaction helps to mold each of us into who we are in some way. My greatest influences in designing pottery are things found in nature. Often, I’ll see a plant, rock, animal, or an interesting shape in nature that inspire me to create a piece.
How does living in Tennessee influence and inspire your art?
I grew up on a small farm in DeKalb County. Hard work and rural living made me appreciate the little things around me, such as, quiet moments, finding beauty in nature, and knowing that boredom is the best inspiration.
Beyond your art/craft, what are your other interests?
I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, teaching and sharing art with my kindergarten students, and learning how to do new things.
Anything else you want to share?
I’m so looking forward to sharing my art with others and meeting new people at OTBP this fall!
