Interview of Ethan Dussault as told to Seth Garcia
For August, we explore the colorful world of Eddie Mellow. Eddie is a visual artist working mostly with stoneware and speckled clay. Each ceramic sculpture is handmade and kiln fired. Colorful and figurative, the work draws from classic American iconography to explore contemporary anxieties, cultural nostalgia, and everyday life through the lens of traditional American folk art.
What draws you to ceramics as a medium?
Growing up, I always loved sculpting with Play-Doh and Silly Putty. I took my first ceramics class in fifth grade and made my first clay head. It was a self-portrait, and I still have it today. The funny thing is that I never thought I’d revisit making ceramic heads in the future. In high school, I moved away from ceramics and began to focus on painting. I was never really any good at painting and never knew when a painting was finished. I wasn’t happy with the work I was producing, and neither was my art teacher. When I told my teacher I wanted to go to art school, he flat out told me my portfolio wasn’t strong enough and I should focus on some other options, which was fine because school wasn’t really for me anyways. For the next decade, I continued to paint, draw, explore photography and play in punk bands. In 2020 when Covid hit, I got some clay and revisited my love for sculpting while I was sitting inside bored out of my mind. I started making little clay heads of my friends and would text pictures of the finished product to them saying “I made you… we’re hanging out.” I really loved how the heads were coming out. It was the first time in my life that I could confidently say I really loved what I was making. From that point on, I was hooked on ceramics again and started to experiment with more clay heads, full bodies, and “landscapes.” So, to answer your question, I’m drawn to ceramics as a medium because I love working with my hands. I find it to be very calming and almost like meditative practice while I’m working on pieces. I like thinking of the finished product as an artifact that will be discovered long after I’m gone.
What inspires you and your work?
I pull inspiration from all over—it really depends on my mood. My work is often figurative and draws inspiration from classic American iconography, like clowns, devils, punks, cowboys and Jesus pieces. Those are my classics. I like to explore contemporary anxieties, cultural nostalgia, and everyday life through the lens of traditional American folk art. However, I’ll also make heads that are just random people that come to mind… Some will be sporting a hat that says “Vermont,” others are wizards, cab drivers, or pilots. There’s no real rhyme or reason to the clay heads, I just truly enjoy making them. For the love of the game. Each one is unique just like a human being. Each one has a different expression on their face depicting a different emotion or story.
I’ve mentioned the landscapes I make as well. Those pieces are a little more personal to me. The landscapes are majorly influenced by my favorite artist Andy Goldsworthy. Andy is a landscape artist who I admire greatly. I’ve seen him speak at the deCordova Museum in Lincoln MA, I’ve seen many of his works in person, and I often flip through pages in his books. My ceramic landscapes are my abstract way of creating what I love about his work. I hope to one day make them on a much larger scale.
What is your creative process like?
I’m not exactly sure what my creative process is. Sometimes I have a game plan and sometimes I don’t. There’s been times when I haven’t gone to the studio in months and then all of a sudden, it’s like a switch goes off and I’m in the studio every day doing an insane amount of work like I’m running out of time. Sometimes I work in silence, other times I’ll be listening to music ranging from smooth jazz to the Bad Brains. It really just comes down to how I’m feeling that day. I will say that it does feel good when I get an idea and I’m excited to bring it to life. There’s something very rewarding about trying out something new and having to wait until the finished product comes out of the kiln, glazed and finished. It can be a whirlwind of emotions working with clay… Sometimes you finish a piece, and you drop it bringing it to the shelf. Other times the glaze doesn’t pop with color the way you wish it did, cracks in the kiln, or shatters when you’re loading it into your car (all of which have happened to me multiple times). On the flip side, sometimes pieces come out way better than you planned or something you considered a mistake ends up being your favorite part of the piece. In the end, I’m just happy to create something that I enjoy, and if others also enjoy it then that’s just a bonus.
Your ceramics are infused with a strong sense of humor. What does playfulness mean to you in art?
It’s funny that you say humor! I’ve actually never thought of my work as being humorous. I usually think of it as being off-putting, stressful, or anxiety driven. Many people have called it “creepy”… but humor is a new one. Playful, on the other hand, is something that I’ve considered. I guess that goes back to being in fifth grade working with clay. I’m not out here trying to make a perfect bust of a head or a perfect statue of Jesus Christ. I enjoy the crudeness of my work. I grew up watching Celebrity Deathmatch and South Park so maybe there’s a sense of humor in my work that I didn’t realize until typing this sentence.
Stickers of your work can be found all over Somerville. What was the inspiration for this approach?
Shhhh! What stickers?! I guess if you happen to see some stickers of clay heads looking at you, they must have been put up by someone else! I’ve always been a fan of stickers and collect a lot of them. I think my work translates perfectly for stickers. It gives me an opportunity for my work to be seen out in the wild and have people wonder what it is. I like that I can pick a head that I like, make it into a sticker, and just add it to the collection. It’s also a nice entry-level introduction to my art whether you’re discovering it for the first time or want a souvenir. I guess it’s just a form of marketing at the end of the day. If you look closely, you can still find some of my ceramic pieces around the city. Currently there’s one left hanging that has been there for about 2 years now. About 3 years ago, I placed 10 ceramic clowns around town and they’ve all been found.
You also can be seen around town wearing your own merch. What is the value of self-reference to you?
Like I’ve said, I really do enjoy what I make. When I started making merch and wearing my art on hats and shirts, I’d get stopped every time I’d wear it out. I realized this was the only time I ever got a chance to talk about my art to strangers outside of Instagram or a gallery show. I was amazed how it resonated with all different types of people and how often people make a compliment on a shirt or hat I’m wearing. I started selling shirts on my Instagram and eventually made my own website (eddiemellow.com). Friends and others who have purchased will shoot me a message saying, “The amount of compliments I get on this shirt is crazy.” That’s not the reason why I do it, but it definitely makes me feel good, I’ll admit that.
What do you enjoy about working and/or living in Somerville?
Somerville has been home to me for about 18 years. I love the neighborhoods, the food, the parks, the flower gardens in front of people’s homes, and of course the Market Basket. Really though, Somerville has always been a place that felt like home. Lots of talented artists and musicians live here. My first apartment was on Oxford Street right off School Street near Highland Kitchen. Every Halloween the neighborhood would put on this crazy performance in the street. Then there’s Porch Fest, Fluff Fest, the vintage markets, Somerville Theater, Anthony Greaney Gallery…the list goes on.. I’ve laughed here, I’ve cried here, I’ve crashed my car here. I like Somerville.
What have you been working on lately? Any projects or shows you’d like to bump? I just finished my website (eddiemellow.com) where you can purchase some merch and check out my art. My art is always for sale and I do take commissions. You can email or DM me on Instagram (@eddie_mellow) for availability and pricing. I have a few ideas for a show I’m working on putting together. I’m also a polaroid photographer so I’m hoping to put out a photo book at some point next year. I’ve got some samples of my clay heads made into plush keychains. I’ll see if I end up doing anything with those. All in all, I’m just going to keep creating and having fun. No pressure, no real goal. If I’m enjoying it, the rest will come. I appreciate you thinking of me and having interest in my art. Peace and love.
Artist Info:
Website: eddiemellow.com
Instagram @eddie_mellow
More Artists of the Month from 2026
Andrew Stearns & Stacy Friedman, May 2026 Artist of the Month
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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.