Melvin Rowe:
Colonel of Clay
From the Winter 07/08 Made in MKY Newsletter of the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft.
Louisvillian Melvin Rowe, an integral part of the Kentucky ceramics world for more than 30 years, loved creating as a child. “I’d make things out of whatever I could get my hands on: oatmeal boxes, coat hangers, scrap wood,” he says.
Melvin entered Western Kentucky University to study fine art to become a cartoonist, but upon taking ceramics became hooked on that instead. He earned his B.F.A. at WKU and his M.A. in ceramics at the University of Louisville. And he still loves it. “It’s 35 or so years later, and I still can’t wait to open the kiln, to see the new stuff, the new experiments,” he says.
For years while creating his own work, Melvin worked full-time, including serving as director of Metro Arts Center in Louisville, and also taught part-time. In about 1981 he was offered a job in Montana, but he chose to stay in Louisville to become a full-time production potter. “I knew I’d be better with the material if I threw 100 mugs a day rather than creating a space for others to do that,” he says.
In the 1980’s Melvin operated retail venues first in Bakery Square and then on Frankfort Avenue, where he has lived and operated his studio and shop ever since. ** “Direct retail is about half of what we do,” he says. “I have a lot of repeat customers. Some have been coming for over 25 years and have become friends.”
Today Melvin also sells his work through wholesale and speciality accounts. Melvin’s diverse accounts include making religious vessels for churches and mugs for local bars. “Flanagan’s on Baxter— I’ve made over 500 mug for their mug club,” he says. He also makes the mugs awarded to prize winners in the home-brewed beer competition at the Kentucky State Fair.
Wine carafes and decanters are among Melvin’s favorite items to make, and he enjoys making wine as well. In 2006 he won a first place ribbon at the Kentucky State Fair for his Colonel Mel’s Green Apple Honey Mead, and this year he won a third place ribbon for his Heap Big Medicine Mouthwash and Pain Killer. Part of Melvin’s charm is a great sense of humor, which spills over into his wine labels.
Melvin notes the similarity between making wine and ceramics. “The chemistry of wine making is similar to glaze chemistry,” he says. “You have to understand the ingredients and what something is going to be after going through the process.” Louisville is lucky to have Melvin going through these processes here.
** Since this article was published, Rowe has sold the Frankfort Ave. property and moved his studio to Henry County, Kentucky.
Resumé — Melvin D. Rowe
Education
Master of Arts, 1978,
University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Bachelor of Fine Arts, 1973,
Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
March 1981 – Present
Studio potter, self-employed, fulltime
January 1999 – May 1999
Art Instructor, adjunct,
Jefferson Community College, Louisville, KY
August 1980 – May 1986
Instructor of Art, adjunct,
Spalding University, Louisviller, KY
March 1977 – March 1981
Director,
Metro Arts Center, Louisville, KY
August 1974 – March 1977
Assistant Director,
Metro Arts Center, Louisville, KY
August 1973 – August 1974
Art Instructor,
Metro Arts Center, Louisville, KY
January 1973 – May 1973
Assistant Director,
University Craft Center,
Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
Shows & Publications
Solo and Two-Artist Exhibitions
“A Night of 100 Flames,” BeBe’s Artisan Market, LLC., Paducah, KY September, 2001
“Recent Works By Melvin D. Rowe,” UPS Corporate Headquarters, Louisville, KY August-September, 1998
“Spirits and Whimsy,” City Art Center, Cincinati, OH, February, 1998
“Ancient Ways and Modern Days, Neo-Primitive works by Melvin D. Rowe,” Earthworks Gallery, Waynesville, North Carolina, July 18-August 19, 1997
“Bright Ideas and Random Thoughts,” Current Works of Melvin D. Rowe and Doug Simon, Kentucky Gallery of Fine Craft and Art, Lexington, Kentucky, February 1-March 31, 1997
“Horsing Around with Melvin D. Rowe,” Persimmon Tree Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky, April 25 – May 31, 1996
“The Wacky, Wonderful Worlds of Keith Ottermann and Melvin D. Rowe,” Persimmon Tree Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky, December, 1994
“Vessels and Images”, One Artist Show, October, 1980, Jefferson Community College Southwest
“Images”, One-Artist show, May 1970, The Darkroom, Louisville, Kentucky
One Artist Show, April 1973, Metro Arts Center, Louisville, Kentucky
Group Invitational Exhibitions
“In the Market 25 Years,” Kentucky Crafted, The Market, March, 2006, Louisville, KY
“For the Love of Flowers,” Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, March 5-April 1, 2005, Louisville, KY
“Bottled Spirits,” Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, May 8-June 30, 2005, Louisville, KY
“For the Love of Flowers,” Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, March 5-April 1, 2005, Louisville, KY
“Bottled Spirits,” Kentucky Museum of Arts + Design, May 7 – June 19, 2004, Louisville, Kentucky
“Dessert Works ‘02,” Indiana University Southeast, January, 2002,New Albany, Indiana
“Third Annual Dynamic Dolls,” Coyote Woman Gallery, June, 2001, Bryan, Ohio
“DinnerWorks 2000,” Louisville Visual Art Association, January, 2000, Louisville, Kentucky
“Soup Tureen 2000,” Indiana University Southeast, January, 2000, New Albany, Indiana
“Fifteen Years On Main Street,” Traveling Exhibition, Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation, November, 1999 through November 2000, Madisonville Community College, Carnegie Art Center, Ashland Area Art Gallery, Yeiser Art Center, Paducah, Southern Ohio Museum, Capitol Arts Center, Bowling Green
“Horsing Around,” Traveling Exhibition, Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation, Louisville, Kentucky, March, 1999, Lexington Public Library Gallery, Lexington, Kentucky, May, 1999
“Tiles and Basins,” Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation, Louisville, Kentucky, January, 1999
“Bourbon Bottles,” Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation, Louisvillle, Kentucky, October, 1997
“Teapot VIII,” Gallery Alexander, La Jolla, California, July-August, 1997
“Kentucky Crafted, a Special Invitational Exhibition,” Craft Company # 6, Rochester, New York, May, 1997
“A Homage to Freda Kahlo,” invitational exhibition, Sister Dragonfly Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky, May, 1997
“Platters,” Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation, Louisville, Kentucky, January 17- March 1, 1997
“Time Flies,” Pegusus Gallery, Louisville International Airport, Louisville, Kentucky, October, 1996
“Teapot VII,” Gallery Alexander, La Jolla, California, July-August, 1996
“Good Dog,” Bank One Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky, October – November, 1995
“Teapot VI,” Gallery Alexander, La Jolla, California, July – August, 1995
“Rheinland-Phalz Austellung,” Mainz, Germany, February, 1995
“Kentucky Studio Potters, ’94,” 2days Gallery, October, 1994
“Teapots,” Stone Soup Gallery, June, 1994, Chicago, Il.
“Louisville-Pr„sentation am H”fchen,” exhibition of Kentucky crafts (also personally attended as a representative), May, 1994, Mainz, Germany
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, September/October 1993, Washington, D.C.
“Kentucky Studio Potters”, 2days Gallery, October, 1993, Somerset, Kentucky
“Interpretations By:”, Invitational, April 1983, Jubilee Gallery,Jeffersonville, Indiana
“Pots”, Invitational, Old Towne, November 1982, Louisville, Kentucky
Group Show, December 1975, Hunter Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky
Faculty Exhibitions, 1974-1986, Metro Arts Center, Louisville, Kentucky
Numerous Exhibitions and Displays though Kentucky Craft Marketing Program, 1982 – Present
Competitive Exhibitions
“Juried Member Exhibition, Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen,” Eastern Kentucky University, June, 1996
“Louisville Craftsman’s Guild Annual Juried Show,” Louisville, Kentucky, August, 1994
Louisville Craftsman’s Guild Annual Juried Show, 1993, Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville Craftsman’s Guild Annual Juried Show, 1991, Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville Craftsman’s Guild Annual Juried Show, 1986, Louisville, Kentucky
1979 Mid-States Craft Exhibition, March 1979, Evansville Museum of Arts and Sciences, Evansville, Indiana
Hyatt Regency, Louisville Exhibition, May 1978, J. B. Speed Museum, Louisville, Kentucky
Publications
Making Pottery Functional, book, published March, 2015, by Melvin D. Rowe, Butler Books
“Glazes: Materials, Recipes, and Techniques, A Ceramics Monthly Handbook”, The American Ceramic Society, 2004
“In Praise of Material Objects,” Illuminations, May, 1998
“Kentucky Crafts in Germany,” The Crafts Report, October, 1994
“Promotions,” Craftlink, Crafts Council of Australia, Brisbane, Australia, March 1991.
“Combining Retail Space with Work Space,” Craftlink, Brisbane, Australia, June 1991.
“Sharing Responsibilities Can Increase Production and Profit in a Retail Shop,” Craftnews, Toronto, Ontario, 1989.
“Opening Your Own Shop,” an eight month series, The Crafts Report, October l988 through May 1989.
“Test Marketing,” The Crafts Report, accepted for publication September 1987.
“Sales Aids Help Stores Sell Your Work,” The Crafts Report, January, 1988.
“Craftworker’s Budget Planning,” The Crafts Report, March 1984
“A Craftsman’s Point of View,” Made in Kentucky, a publication of the Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation, regular column, July 1984 to end of publication.
“Creating Variation with a Single Base Glaze,” Ceramics Monthly, June 1981.
“A Japanese-Style Handwheel,” Ceramics Monthly, October, 1980.
“Converting to Oxidation Glazes,” Ceramics Monthly, February, 1985.
“The Professional Crafter,” monthly column, newsletter of Louisville Craftsman’s Guild, 1985.
Organizations, Offices, and Committees
Louisville Craftman’s Guild, President, June l990 -June 1994 (four consecutive terms)
Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen, March, 1994 -2001, Board Member at Large, June 1995 – January, 1996
Visual Arts Network, Fall, 1992 to Present, Secretary, October, 1994 to October 1995
Kentucky Craft Marketing Program Advisory Committee, !993- 1996
Sister Cities of Louisville, Mainz, Germany, Chairman, Sub-Committee of Cultural Exchanges, March, 1995 – January, 1996
Henry County Arts and Crafts Guild 2012-present
ArtsWatch, 1994-2000
Frankfort Avenue Business Association, 1991 – 2014
Plainview Village Center Merchant Association, Board Member, October 1987 – 1988
Bakery Square Merchant Association, President, July 1985 – October 1986
Louisville Craftsmen’s Guild, Vice President, July l985 – July l986
Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation Board, Representative, 1988
The ManKind Project
Sons of the American Revolution
Kentucky Commerce Cabinet Secretary Ward, Phylis George, Louis Mateus of Brown and Foreman, and Melvin Rowe cut the ribbon to open the 2007 Kentucky Crafted, The Market
Special Commissions
1997 Flying Pig Dinnerware Set, Whippourwill Crafts Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts
1993-2006, Home Brew Club Awards, Kentucky State Fair
1993 QVC Cable Television Shopping Channel
1993 Governor’s Derby Breakfast Julep Cups
1986-1996 WKPC Channel 15 Art Auction Overbid Bonus Incentives
1998 KET Art Auction Overbid Bonus Incentives
Private Collections
The White House
Suitcase Exhibition, Kosair Children’s Hospital
Phyllis George
Reverend and Mrs. Alfred Shands
Charlotte Price
Ginny Marsh
Dr. Homer J. Custead
Sarah Frederick
Workshops, Juries, Etc. Conducted
2016 Introduction to Clay, Small Town Gallery, Brooks, KY
1999 Introduction to Glaze Chemistry, Studio Ceramic Supply, Louisville, Kentucky
January – May, 1999 Part Time Instructor, Jefferson Community College, Louisville, KY
1998 Pirtfired Masks, Louisville Visual Art Association
1998 Introduction to Glaze Chemistry, Louisville Visual Art Association
1998 Finding One’s Life Message for One’s Art, Louisville Visual Art Association
1993-1994, The Art of Marketing Your Craft, Annual Workshop, Louisville Visual Art Association, Louisville, KY
1997 Juror, Old Brownsboro Road Arts and Craft Festival, Louisville, KY
1993 Keynote Speaker, Annual Meeting, The Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen, Berea, KY
Awards
Rowe receives special award from Commerce Cabinet Secretary George Ward for 25 years participation in the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program
2007 Emeritus Award, Kentucky Arts Council
1997 Best Contemporary Exhibit Award, Kentucky Crafted, The Market
1992 Recognition Award by Kentucky Craft Marketing Program
Kentucky Colonel, Honorary Captain of the Belle
Distinguished Citizen Award Key to the City
Golden Shovel Award Recognition of Dedication Presentation, LCG
Big Brother Award, ManKind Project Louisville