My creative journey is full of happy accidents
and trying things out...
Hello, Melissa here... I'm the person behind Melissa's Melting Pot — a glass artist, maker and creative workshop leader based in Warwickshire.
I love colour. I love experimenting. And I love that wonderful moment when an idea in your head starts to become something real in your hands.
My own artistic practice centres around glass, and I enjoy exploring the many different ways this amazing material can be worked. I work across fused, blown, flameworked and cast glass, as well as enamelling, continually experimenting with new techniques, materials, colour combinations and ideas.
At the heart of my work is a simple aim: to make things that make people smile.
All the best,
Melissa
My studio, Hampton Magna
It all started with a dusty box of enamel powders...
My creative journey started at sixth form when I was pointed in the direction of a rather dusty box of enamel powders and told to go crazy with them. So I did... I set up my own little corner of the room and started experimenting, very quickly learning what could and couldn't go into a kiln.
Glitter is definitely NOT a good idea! I learnt quickly what you can and can't put into a kiln, and only left a small burn mark on the desk from my glitter experiment
I loved the magic of putting something into the kiln and seeing how it changed. At university I was lucky enough to receive a grant which meant I could buy my own kiln – a very exciting day! This gave me the freedom to experiment and my fascination with glass just grew from there.
My journey into glass began through a series of happy accidents and chance encounters.
I first had the opportunity to make a glass bead on an exhibition stall at the NEC, which introduced me to the magic of working with hot glass. I then discovered Flame Off and quickly became completely hooked. Following this, on a trip to Türkiye to visit family I came across a lampworker on the beach promenade. I went back every evening for around 6 weeks and learnt about how glass melts from what I imagine is an old fashioned apprenticeship style of learning.
From there, my curiosity took me in lots of different directions — from flameworking and enamelling to fused glass and glassblowing.
One of the things I love most about working with glass is that there is always something new to learn. I love experimenting, trying techniques I've never used before and seeing where an idea takes me. Sometimes the material behaves exactly as I imagined; sometimes it has other ideas entirely!
My creative journey has been a process of continually learning, playing and discovering what glass can do.
I wonder what happens if I try this?
I went on to discover glassblowing at an evening class in Plymouth and fell in love with that too. There is something magical about taking molten, honey-like glass and shaping it into something new. I love adding colour, creating patterns and twisting the glass while it is hot. It is exciting, addictive and very hot!
Over the years I've continued to explore different ways of working with glass, including lampworking, glassblowing, fusing and casting, as well as returning to my original love of enamelling.
I love the possibilities that glass gives me. Colour, light, pattern, texture and form can all be changed by heat, and there is always something new to learn. I'm still experimenting and pushing myself to try new techniques, and I don't think I'll ever stop discovering new things that I want to try.
Sharing the making process...
Alongside my own artwork, I've always loved sharing creativity with other people.
My background in teaching, particularly as a primary and early years specialist, naturally found its way into my creative practice. I love introducing people to new materials and techniques and watching them discover that they can create something they didn't think they could.
This has grown into running workshops for children and adults, as well as working with schools, community groups and organisations on creative and collaborative projects.
For me, it's not just about learning a technique. I love the excitement of trying something new, getting stuck in and seeing where it takes you.
I love seeing the moment when someone who thinks they aren't "creative" suddenly gets completely absorbed in making something.
All of these things have gradually come together to create Melissa's Melting Pot – my own artistic practice, studio, workshops and creative projects.
I now work from my studio in Hampton Magna, Warwickshire, where I make my own artwork, experiment with new ideas and teach workshops.
My work is inspired by colour, nature, memories and the world around me, and I'm always looking for new ways to bring these ideas into glass.
I love that I can spend one day making my own work, another teaching someone how to make their first glass piece, and another working with a school or community group to create something together.
My journey into glass started with a dusty box of enamel powders, a little kiln and a lot of curiosity.
I'm still curious, still learning, still experimenting – and still occasionally finding out what definitely shouldn't go in the kiln!
