REVERIE, 2013

“Molly Hatch’s exhibition “Reverie” is the culmination of several years spent exploring the physical and aesthetic limits of the ceramic surface. Her influences come through loud and clear in “Reverie.” Accompanying each plate painting in the exhibition is an object from Hatch’s family: a Chinese lacquer writing box with a charming, ill-fated attempt at home repair; a French Faience vanity set with powder that might pre-date the French Revolution; a Shenago “Blue Willow” pattern dinner plate and a piece of hand-painted Dresden china. Together these begin to tell the story of a prosperous New England family with global interests…Because her inspiration is derived largely from 18th and 19th century decorative arts rather than the more recent Asian-influenced American studio pottery tradition that still dominates in some quarters, Hatch’s work has a legitimate conceptual claim to the traditions she studies for inspiration. In fact, her work may be the closest thing to the kind of “roots ceramics” that Bernard Leach famously claimed was impossible for an American artist to create.” —Sarah Archer, from her essay Roots Ceramics: Personal History and Contemporary Practice in Molly Hatch’s Reverie, 2013

Arguably one of the most significant developments in the arts of the 21st century is the eradication of artificial boundaries and enforced hierarchies among disciplines. This has resulted in a vital synergy that merges art, craft, and design theory and practice, a synergy that has inspired a new generation of creators worldwide. Molly Hatch is a prime representative of that generation. The artistic territory she inhabits ranges from her uniqueceramics and installations to wallpaper, textile, and furniture design.” —So it Goes Beyond Decorating a Cup: A Conversation between Molly Hatch and David McFadden, 2013