Melissa Schmidt

''It's as useful today in culture as it's ever been. No matter what the current trends in jewelry, glass has the ability to transform itself to follow those trends. Glass is pure and predictable and yet has endless possibilities.''

Melissa Schmidt creates jewelry with hand blown glass in the shape of bubbles, taking full advantage of light's ability to make each piece glow, shine and sparkle. The first step of lamp working these bubbles begins with the artist rotating clear glass tube in the flame of her glass torch. After molten glass is accumulated at the end of the tube of glass the bubble is carefully blown from the other end. The steps of re-melting and blowing continue until the desired size is reached. Like large scale glass blowing on a much smaller scale.

''I love the weight and feel of my glass orbs, which are substantial, bold and colorful and yet entirely feminine.''