Message in a Bubble

 

Melissa Schmidt

jewelry arts

 

Melissa Schmidt’s jewelry has a clarity to it that expresses the best qualities of glass. Light passing through her glass globes imparts refractions, reflections and highlights that are as visually stimulating as the colors and hues of gemstones.

Schmidt began her interest in jewelry early, when she would play with pliers and bead store products. The appreciation for that creative outlet would lead her to making her own beads. While Schmidt studied metalworking in college, it was glass that grabbed her imagination. A three-day class was the beginning of her career; afterwards, practice, practice and more practice. Although she has been lampworking for almost sixteen years, it is only in the last two that Schmidt has moved from glass beadmaking to creating her distinctive design. Schmidt states that she takes classes as she needs them; if her current knowledge cannot tackle a particular problem, she goes to a teacher to solve it. “I’m usually very specific when I take these classes,” Schmidt explains, “what exactly I want to get out of it.” Next on the artist’s list of techniques to learn is cold-forming.

by Patrick R. Benesh-Liu
issue 34.4

 

 

This article in its entirety appears only in the print magazine.

Keep rich and engaging content in your life, click here to subscribe today.

Follow Ornament on...