Click any image to enlarge and view actual size.
Jennifer Mecca
I am a utilitarian potter. My goal is to create pots that are visually pleasing and unique in character, but also useful in everyday life. I enjoy making serving pieces and tableware that bring delight to the daily activity of eating, setting a table and enjoying a meal.
I was born in upstate New York, and moved to South Carolina in my late teens. I spent many childhood weekends observing and participating in the traditions of my paternal Italian-American family. Among the most prevalent was the preparation of elaborate meals. I observed how tableware and the type of serving pieces were as important as the planning, preparation and enjoyment of a meal. This served as the foundation for my interest in utilitarian pottery and my love of creating elaborate surfaces and forms.
I earned my BFA in Interior Design from Virginia Commonwealth University then completed a BFA and MFA in Ceramics at East Carolina University. I now live in Gastonia, North Carolina, where I split my time between teaching and working as a studio potter. I also love to teach workshops, and I'm a member of a pottery group in Charlotte called Thrown Together.