Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
It all started with Catwoman—Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman. Carmelita Nuñez was a sophomore in high school when she designed her first ceramic, a bust depicting the action heroine with her trademark red lips, that famous black mask, and white cat-like eyes. Though Nuñez, who is a native of St. Louis, thought she would study graphic design in college, she decided to switch majors early on after enrolling in a ceramics course. Now she works out of her home in Dutchtown, where she creates brightly illustrated earthenware, including bowls, plates, and teacups. We recently visited with Nuñez to discuss her art.
What about ceramics drew you in? How hands-on it is. It feels good to make things that people can touch and hold onto. Illustration is a part of it as well. To illustrate something that people interact with more readily than, say, a painting, was something that I was drawn to. I like the idea of making things that people use every day.
Where do you find inspiration for the illustrations? Things that catch my eye on a daily basis, like nature, patterns, and bright colors. I also take a lot of elements from dreamscapes.
You often draw women’s faces. The portraits of the female characters are images that I like to draw because they feel like they’re a part of me. They represent an imaginary self that looks maybe a little strange or wears more or less clothing. The tattoos and modifications are not so much something subversive but [instead are] decorative and elegant. I love to people watch and take note of individual styles. I’m probably drawn to more extreme forms of dressing and try to put a little of that into these images.
Were you artistic as a child? Oh yeah. I didn’t have much choice about what I was going to do, just how I was going to do it. In high school, I made a bust of Catwoman from the second Batman. I still have it, and I love it. It’s surprisingly good for my first try [laughs]. I have her out in our living room.
What’s it like being an artist in St. Louis? It’s a really supportive community. I’ve enjoyed being here. There are so many talented artists that you can get overwhelmed by how much you can go out and see on the weekends. The universities and the art programs are impressive, and it’s been great to be a part of that.
What goals do you have for Studio Carmelita? To continue with the functional work but also to focus on larger sculptural pieces. I did a line of smaller sculptures that are three-dimensional visions of [the women I draw]. I wanted to make a community of these people that looks like a dreamscape. I want to push these pieces much further in size and add accessories.
Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Personality and individuality are the hallmarks of ceramicist Carmelita Nuñez’ work, but the real upshot of her collection is that it’s practical. “Some people won’t use handmade pieces because they think of them as art, but I’m making things that are intended to be used daily.” Consider the hand-painted shallow bowls pictured here. They’re ideal for keeping a hearty salad steady or for serving an appetizer of olives, hummus, and artisanal crackers. $48.
