In 2006, I spent one blissful summer month studying abroad in Florence, Italy. During my time there, I had the pleasure of meeting Caroline Reehl, a lovely and gifted art student from Ole Miss. I recently came across some of her ceramic work through pictures she had posted, and I instantly fell in love. Her pieces have such a striking feminine appeal—just my style!
In her own words, “My works have a very feminine quality and I want each piece to be as luxuriant, untamed and vivid as the Southern women I have grown up around. I use roses and lilies among my work as a metaphor for these women. The stages of the flowers on each piece are at the peak of their bloom, representing internal strength and external beauty.”
Here are a few of my favorite pieces from her senior thesis show at Ole Miss:
I absolutely adore Caroline’s signature flowers, and was excited to learn she’s featuring larger and larger roses as she progresses on her newer pieces. She attributes this to perhaps subconsciously making them just as big and outlandish as typical, but charming Southern personalities. Caroline is currently in her first semester of studying interior design, but with so much buzz generating (she’s already sold over 60 pieces!) she plans to take a hiatus to focus on her ceramic work and open a studio.
To purchase or check out more of Caroline’s work, visit her Web site at carolinereehl.com