PROCESS

Every piece Melinda creates is completely unique, with no two pieces sharing the exact same processes in their evolution. The character of the chosen handmade papers, the contours of the glass, and the intricacies of the image shapes and sizes are only a few of the variables that factor into the techniques.

At the start of a project, Melinda carefully chooses images from her collection of books and digital photos to tell a particular visual story, then studies how these specific images might flow on the inside and outside surfaces of one of the glass vessels from her collection. She then modifies the images in Photoshop to fit her artistic vision. Once she has printed the modified images, she carefully cuts them out with scissors and razor knives to highlight their intricate details. She then assembles the images into collages that fit the vessel.

In the next stage, she glues the first set of images to the outside surface of the vessel, facing inward so they may be seen through the glass inside the vessel. It is very challenging to achieve a completely clear adhesion with no streaks or bubbles, making the images appear part of the glass. Once she has applied the inward facing images, she adds a layer of decorative handmade paper behind the images to completely cover the surface.

The next step mirrors the previous one, but with images applied over the decorative paper facing outward. Once the piece has completely dried, Melinda applies twenty-five coats of clear varnish, one per day. She then gently sands the finish to level it, and applies several final coats of varnish. With the varnished exterior, the interior and exterior images both appear encased in glass.