April Nickel - Meha Ceramics
MEHA Ceramics is a small batch, handmade collection of functional and sculptural ceramics by Chicago based artist April Nickel. Holding a BFA from The Art Institute of Chicago, April chose an entrepreneurial career path for the flexibility to raise her daughters. She is a primarily self taught ceramicist, inspired by all that surrounds her and the unwavering support of her mother. April transforms clay into simple, organic designs with depth. A neutral palette can be seen throughout her work, and the Yin Yang symbol is prominent— defining balance and “the idea of dualism and opposites being complimentary” which is a reflection of life. Currently, April is working on long held ideas and focusing on sculptural and one of a kind pieces.
How did you create your career path?
After I had my two daughters, and had been a stay at home mom for a few years, I wanted to figure out a way to have a career and still be with them. I knew there was no way I could go back to a 9-5 or worse, 11-7, as if previously been in the retail world. I knew the only option was to start my own business. Clay was a hobby I most enjoyed so it made sense to follow that path.
Were you always interested in art, ceramics?
I’ve always been into the arts, and was raised to have a great appreciation for all forms. Art was the only class I could tolerate in school, so naturally I ended up attending art school, and received my BFA from The Art Institute of Chicago. I’ve always loved ceramics but admittedly spent more time working with it in high school. While in college I focused on fashion and fiber arts, so with clay I am primarily self taught.
What makes working with clay special?
The best part about working with clay is getting to use my hands to transform this earth given material into something I’ve imagined, and sometimes even something I didn’t expect. It can be transformed in so many ways it’s really amazing.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
Most of my inspiration comes from travel, books on ancient civilizations and other cultures, Vintage craft and art books, different textiles, art, music, my home. Basically everything I surround myself with.
How do you balance your aesthetic in your ceramics?
My work has a lot of simple shapes and a neutral color palette, but I love to hand paint and adorn My forms with designs and patterns, both symbolic and organic, whatever speaks to me, and I feel that’s where the balance comes in.
How have your life experiences affected the art you create?
It greatly affects everything I create. My mother is Filipino and my father’s side was Italian and German, so I had a lot of different cultural influences growing up. Socially, when I was younger, I often didn’t know where I fit and I think that definitely drew me to art as a way of expressing what I was feeling internally Luckily I had parents who always supported whatever I wanted to do, even though my mother always thought I should get a back up degree in nursing (haha).
The Yin Yang symbol is prominent among your ceramics, what makes them special to you?
It’s a symbol I was always drawn to, ever since I was young, and I always came back to it and the idea of dualism and opposites being complimentary. Growing up with an immigrant mom and a dad who suffered from bipolar disorder, I lived a life seeing the darkness of my father’s mental illness and my mother’s strength and optimism side by side, and how there is dark and light, good and bad in everything. This has been a constant throughout my life, with almost every major life event having a combination of joy and pain, negative and positive simultaneously.
What are some of your most popular designs?
My mugs, but primarily my Yin Yang pieces have been my most popular design. I think it makes sense as most people can relate to the interconnectedness of all things in life, that it represents.
What/who has been instrumental in your personal and creative growth?
My mother. I wouldn’t be here without her, literally. She has always been there for me, as a child when she was dealing with my dad’s depression but still bringing joy to my sister and I, my less than ideal relationships, when I was a shithead teenager, when I had my babies, went through postpartum, my father’s suicide, marital woes, etc.
She is my biggest supporter and would do anything for me. Knowing her dreams and her journey growing up in the Philippines and coming to America, and not having it all go as planned but handling it with such grace and staying positive is inspiring. She is the most amazing woman, mother, and Lola I could ever ask for. She is everything to me and my daughters.
Do you have any work, projects coming up that you are looking forward to?
I’m currently looking forward to spending less time on producing functional ceramics and scaling back on wholesale, as the constant demand for the same items has felt draining lately. Being the year this has been already, I’ve realized I need to reprioritize what I want in life and in art. I will be focusing more on sculptural pieces and one of a kind hand painted pieces, a lot of ideas I’ve had for a while and haven’t had the time to create, so I’m really looking forward to diving into that in the near future.
Photos courtesy of April Nickel