My name is Melanie and I am currently living in beautiful upstate NY with my husband, daughter and assorted collection of creatures both great and small. I have always been a creator at heart...from cutting out pictures from the encyclopedias for wall art when I was 5, to painting rocks, drawing, paper folding, cross stitch and carving I have always looked at the world and wanted to translate it into art.
I really found my passion about 5 years ago when I got into glass and lampworking. My wonderful husband converted a spare bedroom into a glass studio, complete with handmade bench and hood system. After creating scores of glass beads, I began to want to make a few pieces of jewelry with them for my own use. It stared out as a small box of wire and clasps, and grew to take up a small bookshelf. But at that time, glasswork was my focus, and jewelry making was just something I did once in awhile.
Then my husband lost his job and we decided to move from southern PA to upstate NY so he could go back to school. Without a dedicated glass area (and with very flammable carpets throughout the house) I had to shift from glasswork to differant areas of jewelrymaking. I started with polymer clay and added metalworking, metal clay and enamelwork as the years went on.
Now I am a dedicated mixed-media artist. Metal, clay, glass...I create with whatever works for the design at hand. I have a lot to learn, and hope to take additional formal classes in addition to continuing to self-teach.
