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The
Artist - Melanie West
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I live in the deep woods of Maine with my partner Tom, my teenage son, and three cats. We share the woods with a plethora of wild life, including moose, bob cats, fox and coyotes, lots of song birds, wild turkeys and of course, ravens. Which raises the question, why do I call
my studio "Raven's Clay"? One might say the raven is my
spirit guide.
Watching them play in the sky above my home, they look like
master acrobats - having a whole lot of fun. I love to listen to
them calling to each other as I play in my studio. |
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Ravens have a huge range of calls that are surely a complex language. In Heinrich Bernd's book, "Ravens in Winter", his descriptions of ravens paint a picture of intelligent, curious, playful, generous, and resourceful creatures - all characteristics I strive to embody both in myself and in my work. |
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THE WORK
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What drives my current work with polymer is a life long fascination with Nature's use of extravagant forms, colors and patterns. Nature never ceases to amaze, and I have always been compelled to answer that amazement in my work. With polymer clay I am able to create a very personal, sensual experience for the wearer, while celebrating all of Nature's awe inspiring beauty. Each one-of-a-kind piece in my “Bio” series contains a unique, playful personality inspired by such flora and fauna as salamanders, snakes, nudibranchs, cephalopods, bamboo and acorns. My BioBangles are built on hand fabricated and carved armatures of polymer, and are laminated with polymer clay cane work. My pieces are hand sanded and finished to a soft luster or buffed to a high lacquer finish. Up Coming Shows -
Publications - My work can be seen in (or will soon be in) four new or up coming books:
Awards -
Collections - My polymer clay work is now included in personal collections around the world, from Japan to Spain, Switzerland to Canada. Some of my work can also be found in several stores along the coast of Maine:
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| Like an increasing number of people, we’ve chosen to live "off the grid", where the only connection to outside utilities is our underground phone line. All of our electricity comes from solar panels augmented with a propane generator when supply is lower than demand. |
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Our home (and my studio) is what’s often
called a “homestead”. Tom built all the buildings, including my
studio, from trees on the land. An efficient wood stove heats
the house and studio using wood from the land too. We have a
huge organic garden, which includes fruit and nut trees, and
much of the produce is put away for the winter. Above is a
photo of our home. My studio is on the lower left, with the
large picture window.
If this isn't enough information and you'd like to know more about me, just send me an email! |
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Web site, its content and all images copyright © 2006 Melanie West. All rights reserved.