Angela Cunningham is a ceramic sculptor working at Mudflat Studios in Somerville MA. She received her BA in Philosophy from the College of William and Mary in 1999 and her MFA from Penn State in 2004. She exhibits internationally and has received many arts fellowships, notably the Brother Thomas Award, Niche Award, and several Massachusetts Cultural Council grants.
Angela Cunningham , December Artist of the Month interviewed
by Tori Weston
Please tell us about your background and how you came to Somerville.
I moved to Somerville in 2004 when I was awarded a one year artist residency at Mudflat Studio. I had just received my MFA in Ceramics from Penn State and was looking for a place to land that could help foste my artistic and professional growth. I found this in the wonderful community at Mudflat and the strong arts community in Somerville.
At what age did your creative journey begin?
I was always a crafty child – not sneaky! I was always making something with my hands when I was little, but I never conceived of a career in the arts until my last year of college. With the support of my professors and a number of mentors 
along the way, I worked a day job and made art during the rest of my waking hours. Eventually I developed the skills to apply to graduate school where I could further my studies and develop a strong body of work.
Your work has such interesting shapes and texture, who or what inspires your work?
I am deeply inspired by forms, patterns, texture, and detail in nature. From the textural beauty of flowers to the way the wind creates patterns in the sand to the exquisite detail in an caterpillars' coloring, I find nature endlessly engaging.
Are there any topics or themes that continue to appear in your work?
Common themes in my work are seduction, growth, the ephemeral, attraction and repulsion, and beauty.
How has COVID-19 affected your work?
Sigh, all of my exhibitions and short-term residencies were either delayed or cancelled when Covid hit. I have been spending a lot of time exploring other media through online classes in drawing, watercolor, paper sculpture, and block printing. It has been a lot of fun and I'm feeling inspired to incorporate some of these media into my future artwork.
How does one find your work?
Email me to arrange a visit to my studio at Mudflat in East Somerville [email protected]
Visit me during Mudflat's Open Studio sales the first weekends of May and December. See my work on exhibit locally at Concord Center for the Visual Arts through December 13
www.concordart.org/explore-galleries/main-galleries
Keep up to date with my activities on my website www.cunninghamceramics.com
Find me on instagram @cunninghamceramics
More Artists of the Month from 2020
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About the Artist of the Month
This program is inspired by the Nave Gallery’s “Featured Artist” program, which ran from 2005 to 2009.
SAC’s Artist of the Month program is a way for us to celebrate the enormous wealth of talent in our city, by shining a spotlight on a different creative Somervillian each month.
This program has been put together by a whole raft of people: Coordinators Jenn Harrington (2013-2014) and Kellie Veiga (2013), Gilmore Tammy (2017) and Somerville Arts Council board members Matt Kaliner, Tim Devin, Valeria Amato, and Michael J. Epstein, Bill House (2019-2020), Charan Devereaux (2019-2025), Tori Weston (2019-2025) and Andrea Read (2022-2025). Current coordinators, are Kerrie Kemperman (2019-), Seth Garcia (2025-), and Ben Cuba (2026-).
Know of a great Somerville based artist who should be recognized, please nominate the artist for consideration. We seek artists who contribute to the community through their strong work and community collaborations. Artist should either reside in the City or contribute to the City’s vibrant art scene.