Amid the apple orchards of Ōrātia in West Auckland, this ceramicist and sculptor crafts functional stoneware deeply embedded in the natural world.
Within a palette of soft, earthy tones, Melissa Hastings’ practice balances gentle forms with care. Texture, light, and colour are central, lending a stillness to objects we use each day.
Originally trained in film and theatre design, Melissa’s creative path shifted after her move to West Auckland. Here, a growing connection to the landscape drew her toward working with her hands, allowing nature to guide her practice.
“I feel I’m guided by my ongoing curiosity about the world around me, and each piece I create emerges from a variety of questions and influences that feel important to me at the time,” says Melissa. These influences often come from her love of the natural world — more recently the mysteries and myths that surround flora and fauna.
The Moonflower Light, hand-carved in stoneware, is designed to rest on a shelf or hang on the wall. Light unfurls from the flower, echoing the shifts found in nature.
“Moonflowers symbolise transformation and renewal,” says Melissa. “The flower opens in darkness, reminding us that beauty and growth can emerge even from the darkest hours.”
Melissa’s Evening Primrose Bowl, too, draws inspiration from a night-blooming flower, rooted in folklore. “As the world sleeps, the delicate evening primrose blooms,” Melissa adds. Each petal is distinctive, intricately carved, and preserved. The perfect example of fragility and strength to immortalise in clay.
