Melissa Zielinski
HAC Member Since: 0
707 496-8227
http://www.millcreekglass.com
I love color and sunlight so it is natural that I love colored glass. I have been designing and creating traditional stained glass windows, light fixtures and window pieces since 1985, but I began working in fused glass in 2005. Patterns, shapes and subjects found in nature inspire me so most of my pieces involve leaves, jellyfish, dragonflies and other beautiful plants and animals. I have been educating people about nature through most of my career as a natural history museum professional and I see my glass art as another form of teaching.I work with iridized translucent glass - glass that you can see through but with a special chemical coating that gives a subtle sparkly rainbow effect. I draw patterns for my designs, cut and grind the glass pieces and assemble each piece using ground glass (frit), stringers (long, thin noodles), or glass confetti depending on the design. The glass is fused in one firing up to 1450 degrees in my kiln and then is slumped or softened to take the shape of a mod in a second firing. There is some unpredictability with each firing, so it is a surprise each time I open the kiln. This appeals to me and is a marked difference between traditional stained glass and fused glass.Glass work has brought me hours of creative enjoyment. I hope that, through my artwork, others can share my appreciation of the beauty in nature.
