Melanie Hamilton
Calgary, Alta.
Melanie Hamilton, Otti in the Light, 2023. Maple, french linen, and neon tube light, 121.5 x 38.5 x 38.5 cm. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST.
Studio: How would you describe your approach to your medium? What made you choose it?
Melanie Hamilton: I have a deep respect for trees and that informs my approach to designing. I only use domestic hardwoods and look for trees that have been culled. I design a lot of woven elements, typically danish cord, to introduce textures, patterns and as a way to decrease the amount of wood used in each piece. I strive for comfort so I like to incorporate soft material and gravitate towards natural fibres. I’ve become so conscientious of my wood use, not only for the sustainability of forests but also to keep shipping weight down, that I’ve been reducing the stock material.
I started out as a large format photographer. After finishing my BFA I worked with an 11x14” wooden view camera. I love photography but I noticed that the general public was responding to the wooden camera in a way that they weren’t to the work. The experience made me reevaluate what I was doing and who I wanted to connect with. As a creative yet practical person, I was drawn to the inherent beauty of wood and the universally approachable form of furniture.
Melanie Hamilton, Warp Chair, 2023. Walnut, Danish cord, and wool felt, 64.8 x 68.5 x 73.5 cm. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST.
S: How would you describe yourself, personally and professionally?
MH: I’m a contradiction in all things. I’d describe myself as a lone wolf who likes to spend time with people. I don’t eat meat but I love fur. I’m not an optimist but I’m very good at ‘rolling with it’ personally and professionally. Even in the workshop, when something goes wrong, I’ve learned to see it as a design opportunity- I let it inform the process rather than getting upset. Many people comment on my need for order but also say I’m good at remaining calm in the face of chaos.
Melanie Hamilton, Anni Meandering (section), 2003. Ash, Danish cord, and wool fibre, 54 x 204 x 45 cm. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST.
S: What inspires you?
MH: I’m inspired by many things. As I get older I’m drawn to issues that make me feel something, usually mad. I work in series and I find it motivating to focus on a theme and challenge myself with a tight design brief. Over the past couple of years I've focused on female artists and makers from the past, the people who’ve made important contributions to the world of art but received little to no credit. In 2023 I exhibited a series of furniture, titled Reframing Perspective, inspired by the women from the Bauhaus weaving studio.
I’m currently working on a large scale interactive piece inspired by the COVID-19 measures put in place by the former New Brunswick government. I spent the pandemic years living there and witnessed the social and emotional effects of those restrictions. That work is titled Steady Ten and I hope to have it finished this fall. I’m also working on a piece inspired by a local Alberta musician. It’s early days for that work but It’s been fun letting the lyrics inspire the design.
Melanie Hamilton, Otti in the Light, 2023. Maple, french linen, and neon tube light. 121.5 x 38.5 x 38.5 cm. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST.
S: What do you see as your contribution to the field of your craft?
MH: I’ve spent the past 18 years making furniture and a lot of that time incorporating woven elements into my designs. I’d say I’m best known for using Danish cord in my work and over the years I’ve pushed the boundaries of the material. More importantly, I’ve made an effort to introduce nontraditional materials to furniture design like: seal skin, fishing rope, french linen fibre, synthetic turf. People see the work in galleries and private collections and recognize that heirloom quality and contemporary design is achievable and available here in Canada.
I’ve been exhibiting my furniture since 2007. Back then there weren’t a lot of Canadian women working in this male dominated field. When I started out in Newfoundland I was the only woman designing, making and exhibiting furniture in the province. My nontraditional work ignited an interest in furniture design that didn’t exist within the general public there at that time. When galleries exhibited my work it sold and I think that showed there was a market for contemporary furniture. There’s a whole studio furniture industry there now. The years I lived in Newfoundland brought some interesting projects like designing a set of side tables for an upscale Inn in Quidi Vidi. That design (Yaffle Table) got a lot of press and in 2019 was hand picked to be included in a global exhibition called Making a Seat at the Table installed at the Museum for Art in Wood in Philadelphia. I was 1 of only 3 Canadians included in the show and the only Canadian outside of Toronto. The tables from that show now reside in a home in Switzerland.
Melanie Hamilton, Cute Side Tables, 2024. Ash, pigment, and wool felt drawer liner, 58.5 x 47.5 x 38 cm. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST.
S: What wisdom do you want to impart to younger makers?
MH: Learn to spot the GOOD opportunities and say yes to all of them. This is especially important for women. We often don’t feel like the timing is right and that’s largely due to societal expectations put on us that men don’t always feel. We can’t control the timing of opportunities but we do get to choose whether we accept or not.
Melanie Hamilton
instagram: @woodenlegstudio
website: woodenlegstudio.com
This article was published in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue of Studio Magazine.
