Melissa Chin with one of her beautiful, hand-crafted mugs.
Image courtesy of: West Lake Market
Design
Chicago shoutout to Melissa Chin
In 2017, Melissa Chin decided to take her hobby to the next level. Initially, Chin used ceramics as a form of meditation and mindfulness. Chin was seeking more balance in her life and ceramics help her achieve that goal. Thus, she put her prior experiences into play; and started a business producing the very same pieces that bring her joy. Chin’s hope was that others would benefit from the pieces of Grey Remedy!
These mugs are a part of the New Moon collection.
Image courtesy of: West Lake Market
Chin’s business, Grey Remdey, launched in December of 2017. All pieces are made with stoneware clay and spend a good amount of time on the pottery wheel. Following that process, the pieces air-dry for several days prior to entering a kiln for firing. The process is repeated with glazing and another round at the kiln for an addition firing session. There is a lot of time spent waiting; but like we’ve always heard- everything great IS worth waiting for!
Small dish, bread and butter plate, and entree plate from the New Moon collection.
Image courtesy of: Voyage Chicago
Chin’s background is very interesting and comes decisively into play inside her studio. Raised in New York by Jamaican parents, from a young age Chin was interested in using social and cultural ties to connect people from differing environment. Chin was always encouraged to explore her creative passion and to try new things… until she found “her thing”.
Spending a semester in Havana helped Chin realize how her global and artistic interests meld together. Immersing into Cuba’s interesting art scene was a reminder of how art can be a tool to better understand other cultures’ values and history.
We love these pieces which are produced with brown speckled stoneware clay and finished with a white matte glaze. It’s the glaze that allows the speckles to show through. All glazes are food-safe, lead-free and non-toxic. The fact that Chin only uses benign materials makes her products even more appealing.
Image courtesy of: Voyage Chicago
Chin says about her work, “I love to create work with clean lines, and I pay special attention to form and proportions. The simplicity of my pieces allows them to complement almost any space, and because all of the glazes that I use are lead-free and food-safe, my pieces can serve both decorative and functional purposes. I sometimes drink matcha out of a small bowl that I designed for holding jewelry, and I have a dinner plate on my nightstand that I use as a tray for toiletries and trinkets. You can really use my pieces for whatever function serves you best”.
Image courtesy of: Grey Remedy
Obviously, pieces are all varied because they’re hand-made; and because everything is individualized In addition, the wait is often 5-7 weeks to receive the “made in Chicago” products.
Last May, Chin and Grey Remdy was invited to be part of West Elm’s pop-up location on North Avenue in Chicago. It was a wonderful opportunity for Chin to display the wares of her year-old company. Chin’s minimalistic pieces were a great compliment to West Elm’s elegant and trendy esthetics.
