Meet the Maker

Hi, I'm Melanie, the craftswoman behind Melanie Hardy Ceramics.

I am a maker focusing primarily on small batch production using a range of traditional hand building techniques, wheel formed pottery and slip casting. My ceramics are intended to bring life into your home — to be used and loved…to enable you to appreciate and embrace the beauty of handmade in a world of commercially manufactured goods.

When designing and making, I believe it is my responsibility to look towards a realistic and thoughtful way to incorporate sustainability into my practise. I am pleased to be able to create work that is kinder to the planet by using non-toxic natural materials that are locally sourced where possible, as this encourages a deeper appreciation of the handmade goods ‘makers movement’ now and into the future.

Each piece I make has its own unique handmade charm, revealing the slow making process with intentional 'marks of the hand', These markings emphasise the imperfect beauty, reminding us that it was ethically made by human hands in my little studio in Brisbane, Australia.

x Melanie

Got a question for me? email me here

A women with curly hair, glasses, and a white shirt crouches next to a fluffy Australian Shepherd dog inside a rustic, plant-decorated pottery studio, smiling at the camera.

“Our greatest tools are our hearts and hands”.

In the studio

An outdoor smoking vending machine located between dark wooden walls, with a window showing a palm tree reflection, and a leafy shrub on the left.
Image courtesy of Clair Estelle Photography.
Image courtesy of Clair Estelle Photography.
Image courtesy of Clair Estelle Photography.
Image courtesy of Deb Christa Photography.
Black and white photo of a kitchen shelf with plates, bowls, and containers. A light bulb in a wire cage hanging above. Cotton branches on the right.
A Skutt automatic kiln with a metal interior, digital control panel, and a small red button glowing. The kiln is outdoors with palm leaves visible in the background.
Copyright 2021 Melanie Hardy
Image courtesy of Clair Estelle Photography.
Four textured violet ceramic cups standing upright on a cloth-covered surface, with some cups partially covered by a semi-transparent fabric.
Image courtesy of Deb Christa Photography.
Image courtesy of Deb Christa Photography.
Image courtesy of Clair Estelle Photography.
Top-down view of a cluttered work surface with a glass bowl, a sculpting tool, and a spatula, surrounded by other tools and materials, likely for artistic or kitchen use.
Image courtesy of Clair Estelle Photography.
Image courtesy of Clair Estelle Photography.
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Insurance & Associations

Insured member of The Australian Ceramics Association with both Product Liability and Public Liability cover.

Blue Card Approved for working with children. Blue card number: 1944239/2, Expiry date: 16 June 2026, Card type: P

Member of The Gap Creative Inc. Brisbane.

The future is handmade.

A beautiful short film with Dutch archaeologist Maikel Kuijpers who finds artisans and thought leaders that are redefining craft, skill and ultimately, the real meaning of a knowledge economy. A must watch for makers, creatives and those who appreciate and support handmade.