Charlotte Mellis lives with her husband, Athol in their renovated School House, Larach Mhor.
Tin Shed Gallery is a small, destination art space, firmly planted in the wilds of the Isle of Mull. Tin Shed Gallery provides a uniquely lit tin structure which allows natural light to pour in through the transparent roof.
Charlotte curates guest artist’s works through a series of exhibitions throughout the year.
Using the wheel to create domestic ware, Charlotte creates bowls, plates and mugs. They are both beautiful and practical.
She uses hand building techniques to make her sought after ‘shed’ constructions in clay. These relate to corrugated and other architectural structures which have seen happier days and are unsung, quirky or suffering from the ravages of time.
Graffiti, weathering and decomposition create colours and textures with can be expressed using earthenware clays, fired 1080c-1100c in an electric kiln. Charlotte uses moulds to get the corrugated surfaces, slips, oxides and underglaze colours with transparent glaze applied sparingly.
Her work is informed by extensive worldwide travel and her interest in the built environment.
Timeline
Arrived in Mull in 1953. Educated in Scotland, England, Malta and Greece
Travel: Europe, South America and West Indies, Overland to Australia, New Zealand
Worked in London for several years, including for Record Company, DART and for Photographer, Cornel Lucas.
1978-80: Studio assistant to my aunt the potter Ann Stokes, London
Artist Model for Sir William Coldstream and Rodrigo Moynihan
1981-83: Harrogate College of Art & Design – Distinction
1985: Set up Workshop in Yorkshire –
1991: Workshop at Glengorm, Isle of Mull
1993: Married zoologist Athol McLachlan(Newcastle University)
1993-2000: Workshops at 36 Lime Street, Newcastle upon Tyne and Glengorm, Mull
2000: Moved to Larach Mhor Isle of Mull and set up workshop
2020: Built and Opened Tin Shed Gallery with transparent roof to enable it to be lit entirely with natural light.
Teaching
Adult Education Block at Preston College
In own Studio
Public Collections
Pool Pottery Collectors Club
Pinchen Collection in Stoke
Aberystwyth Art Centre ,Wales
Exhibitions since returning to Scotland
2007 Carthouse Gallery, Calgary, Mull
2009 An Tobar Art Centre, Mull solo show “Shelter”
2011 Mellis – Stokes. ‘Colour & Form’, Collins Gallery – Glasgow
2023 Tin Shed Gallery