Meet Meghna Robins | Ceramic and fine artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Meghna Robins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Meghna, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started fine art from a really young age before pivoting to study transportation design at Art Center College of Design, Pasadena. One term, I decided to try something new and take a pottery studio class. I felt what I could only describe as a pure childlike joy for the process of making something – It was a feeling that I hadn’t felt in a really long time. Shaping something from beginning to end, with my hands in the clay just filled me with so much excitement and inspiration for what I could do with this new found love. The process of making ceramic vessels just really resonated with me – I would say it is definitely a craft that has so much uncertainty to it that it humbles you and frees you at the same time- you can never quite predict what comes out of the kiln and I think that’s just so marvelous. It also helped me gain a new perspective and appreciation for the objects I use in my daily life. Drinking my morning coffee in an espresso cup that I made with my own hands made me look at every object in my room differently- I started seeking the stories behind every object I use – how was it made?, where does it come from ? It opened a completely new dimension of experience- one filled with appreciation and awareness. This inspired me to look to starting a ceramic practice, where each piece is handmade and tells a story – I want to bring products to my customers that help you slow down and look at the vessel you’re holding, touch it and be completely present in the moment. This year is going to be my production phase, I will be sharing my process and pieces on ig@megwclay. The storefront will be opening the following year after my graduation.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I recently exhibited a fine art ceramic and art installation titled ‘The Portrait of a Society’. The series consists of distinctly shaped handmade ceramic vessels ranging from vases, bowl to plates and an acrylic still life painting of the same installation.
This project is about us as humans, it is a portrait of our attempts at coming together as a a civilization. Its a commentary on how the more humans gather to build together, the more we also divide and leave people behind. Each handmade ceramic vessel in this installation metaphorically represents through its form and function – a distinct constructed role in society . Each vessel left outside the plates is someone we have left behind. A still life painting of the the same installation in the background gives us a hint of the roles of each vessel.

(The king – tall and caged in by its own handles , inaccessible and sagging under its own weight.
The warrior- in the shape of a knife but alas, is still a vessel – meant to serve a system,
The merchant – with its two long trunks , trading from one place to another but its own belly is the most swollen of all, The priest – a cup that you must turn upside down to drink from,
The artisan- whose work is hidden under a big vessel,
The woman- who holds the most space to give and receive – underestimated,
The labourers- the plates that make the foundation but often left unnoticed.

And each vessel left outside are people that don’t fit into the roles we have made up)

My intention for this piece was to inspire my viewer to pause and consider the absurdity of these roles we invent for ourselves. So much of what we call civilization is built on rules, hierarchies and labels that are neither natural nor humane- yet we defend them as if they were sacred. If we can recognize how arbitrary these structures are, perhaps we can begin to place importance on humanity over roles and inclusion over order.

This was one of my most recently exhibited pieces that I am very proud of and that I hope will have the opportunity to be exhibited in more venues and be heard by more people. What drives my practice is the ability to translate emotion and narrative through the objects I make. There’s something extraordinary about holding a piece made by an artist and feeling, in a quiet way what they intended to communicate. That exchange through an inanimate object fascinates me – the idea that a vessel can carry not just function, but also feeling, perspective and story. It leaves room for the viewer to interpret and experience the work in their own way. As I move towards building a business, I want each piece to have that same sense of intentionality and presence.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love beaches – walking down the Hermosa beach pier as the sun is setting, with an icecream on hand is truly magical. Back in Pasadena, close to my place there is cute little Japanese garden that I love to spend a lazy afternoon at.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My ceramic instructor at ArtCenter College of design- Ariel Brice. A remarkably talented artist and a thoughtful, inspiring teacher. I feel lucky to have learned ceramics from him. The perspective he brought to class and his own deep affinity to the craft is what inspired me to approach the artistic process with the same enthusiasm and reverence.

Website: https://megrobinsdesign.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megwclay/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghna-robins