Artist Alert....Melinda Fay Studios...

Hi and welcome to the first of many Artist Alert Posts on my blog...from time to time I will review & report on one of my favorite artists of all media...just someone I really like & you may have not known about...

This first artist I happen to have met in person, Melinda of Melinda Fay Studios is one of my oldest dearest clients & friends & one of few that I have actually met in person even though I have known her for the past 6 plus years through the web & my glass beads...

Melinda is one those people that somehow someway has kept her connection to the earth itself, first when you talk to her via email you get a bit of this, but you can feel it most in her jewelry designs & in her person. She is calm, pure & present with a lovely smile. She is a great example of what I would call a born artist & designer. I used to think wow this girl is so in to my beads, the way she describes them to me after she gets them...turns out because of her I started to see my beads in a brand new way years ago...

Like most of my clients & beady friends & myself, she is not in this trade to make money, she has a day job so she can support her addiction. She spends hours coming up with wonderful detailed ways to showcase just that one special bead...often I find myself at the torch thinking, while working on a large detailed focal, "What would Melinda say if she saw this bead" not "will she like it and or buy it", but will she see the very organic nature of this bead, will her naturally well adjusted eye to all things organic & earthy, see this bead for what it is & ultimately will she approve of its being?"

I met her once, in her home state, hubby had a work thing & I went along just to meet Melinda...she was everything & more in person...I wish I could see her everyday, I wish I could have her be my friend here in England now, when I could use a friend or two nearby...silly, I cry as I write this...but she is so wonderful, I find myself waiting for her long emails letting me know what she thinks of my beads...embarrassing to some degree...my ego tends to not like too much of that kind of praise, lest I believe it & get a big head...I hope you like her work as much as I do...

Jelveh

Peace