Exhibition - Melissa Schmidt

There is a fine craft show in Washington DC that

has always drawn our hearts, and will

 someday draw us to see it in person.

The 29th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show

once again has a superb line-up

of jewelry artists whose work

is truly inspirational.

It runs from April 14 - 17.

Produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee,

all proceeds from this particular craft show

are used to support education, acquisitions, research,

conservation and outreach programs within the

Smithsonian Institution.

Melissa Schmidt is one of this year's

participants. Her handblown glass bubbles
are created in a manner that's very similar

to large-scale glass blowing but done

on a miniature scale.

Some are transparent while others are opaque.
Each evokes a mood. And while they appear

 fragile, each is surprisingly strong and very light.

 

This necklace is called White Hot.

It features an assortment of 22 glass bubbles

that have been colored with white

glass powder. The globular effect is reminiscent

of a cluster of grapes hanging from the vine.

This one is called Slices of Life.

Lovely to look at, it becomes more

mesmerizing when one realizes the

collection of 60 glass bubbles each contain an

image from the life of a 60 year old woman -

they are like luminous windows to

her childhood, her marriage, her progeny.  

Such a sweet biography of the sentimental

and celebrated moments of life.

 

This necklace is called Bird Watching.

It features a bevy of 23 bubbles each containing

an image of a wild bird that was photographed

from a bird-watching guide from the 1940's.

Who expected jewelry to be beautiful

and educational at the same time?

Here's a close-up of a similar bubble-

it's charming and perfect.

This work certainly does challenge the 

perception of what glass can and cannot do.
It brings glass to life in a manner

 we haven't seen before.

This artist's work is eye-catching.

The use of unexpected materials in her bubbles

bring color and a feeling of playfulness to her work.

We've seen her pieces feature images

of animals, flowers, trees.

Mother Nature provides an endless

array of subject matter and color choice.

The bubbles are so effervescent

they seem ready to float away.

But we're grateful that they're tethered

to this world as art jewelry.

Enjoy!