Artist Statement
My work is grounded in the material history and language of ceramic processes. Using form and material to communicate the relationships between, expectations of, and roles placed upon both objects and ourselves. We describe the vessel in anthropomorphized physical terms; mouth, lips, feet, bellies, shoulders, as well as psychological terms; generous, refined, tight, and so on. Anthropomorphizing objects extends to the act of placing them- on tables to deliver meals, then returned to cabinets.
While I am enticed by the specific functions of the forms that have emerged throughout history, the objects that remain essential and familiar to our lives are the objects I find the most compelling; jar, bowl, pitcher, cup, vase. These objects have remained the subject of my fascination because I am captivated by how they can be entirely taken for granted- their role is assumed and unquestionable- to serve. This subtlety is what gives these pots enduring power.
The arrangements of forms and surfaces often references specific myths, narratives, and metaphors.
Bio
Charlotte Middleton is a ceramic artist based in southern Maine. She holds a BFA in Sculpture and Education from Wheaton College (Massachusetts) and an MFA in Ceramics from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she studied with Pete Pinnell, Margaret Bohls, and Eddie Dominguez. Charlotte apprenticed for two years with Ellen Shankin in Floyd, Virginia- an experience she describes as the most formative in understanding the dedication and discipline required to be a potter. Her work has been recognized with numerous fellowships and awards, including a Hixson-Lied School of Art Creative and Activity Grant and, most recently, the Vreeland Scholarship Award for Meritorious and Creative Work. She has completed residencies at respected craft institutions such as Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, and the Lamar Dodd School of Art in Cortona, Italy.
Her writing and ceramic work have been featured in leading publications including Pottery Making Illustrated and Ceramics Monthly.
Charlotte teaches and is building a studio in southern Maine, where she lives with her partner, Eddie, and their dog, Aunt Nellie.
