Melissa Mytty has been inspired by and focused on the making of cups and/or saucers since she was an undergraduate student at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI. Upon completion of her BFA she went on to the Cranbrook Academy of Art where she received her MFA in 2007. The following September she joined our Resident Artist Program, where she remains today.
One would think that limiting oneself to the exploration of a singular form would be stifling. For Mytty, it has allowed for a thoughtful nuanced exploration. Mytty also limits the scale and her methods of making as well, with pinching being her choice and porcelain her clay. Blessed with a fantastic touch, her cups never appear to be overworked, appearing as fresh in their fired state as their unfired state. All of Mytty's cups remain relatively true to the traditional scale one would expect in a teacup or demitasse cup. Her saucers however can extend beyond the tradtional scale imposed upon them, including their volume. Pillow like saucers oftentimes become the resting places for her cups, which are then placed upon plexi - shelfs which Mytty thinks of as extensions of her saucers.
Inspired by contemporary culture and seeimingly incongruous influences, Mytty imbues each of her objects with a distinct personality, through manipulation of scale of parts and surface treatment. Pieces can be incredibly quiet, soft and contemplative or can be loud, brightly colored and/or patterned with riotous surfaces. Using high fire glaze, china paint, lustre and fiber to activate her surfaces, Mytty's sensitivity to color and strength as a colorist is evident in each object she creates.
When speaking about her work Mytty explains, "The cup as an object has been the focus of my investigation as a designer. My inspiration comes from historical ceramic teacups and saucers, the form as it functions, and its place in every day life. I am driven by contemporary music, from country to hip hop, and fashion design from high-end couture to thrift stores. Currently I am focused on teacup designs that will function beautifully yet be a contemporary cultural signifier, a blending of street style with the grandma aesthetic of traditional teacups. My work draws from the rich history of ceramics while injections of contemporary culture are critical and keep my work pushing the boundaries of the material and the format of the cup."
