Melinda Solly – Fragility Ceramics

Growing up with parents as Potters, Melinda spent many hours watching them work, while playing with clay. She has always felt the need to create clay pieces.

Melinda studied at Latrobe University and graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics. A practical way to apply her artistic skills! Currently she works as an Orthotist and kept busy with a husband and 3 sons.

Fragility was developed from the desire to create fine translucent porcelain. Melinda is a self-taught Ceramic Artist, through hours of trial and error along with accessing the boundless knowledge of her parents. She continues to push the boundaries of one of the most challenging and at times frustrating ceramic techniques. Porcelain is very fine expensive clay fired at a high temperature. It is very fine and difficult to work with it can crack when drying and during the firing process. But once fired it is very strong and translucent. Melinda makes her pieces as fine as possible, but this increases the risk of failure. Her pieces reflect the natural surroundings of the Surf Coast beach and bush.

Melinda is attracted to the fine natural, organic shapes that she can create and is fascinated by the transfer of light through her pieces as they reveal the carved and embossed designs, and in the lattice pieces light transfers through and cast shadows. This fascination has directed her towards producing a range of light shades. In Partnership with her father, Geoff Giles, they have made some lamp stands from recycled timber collected around the Surf coast, these compliment the fine white porcelain shades.