Melanie Laplante artiste-verrier portrait atelier

MÉLA, the first syllables of my name: MÉlanie LAplante.

Means in Sanskrit to gather, to reunite.

A nod to the thermoforming, fusion technique, the one I mainly use

to create from my residential workshop.

I have been a self-taught glass artist for almost 20 years already!

In the past, I have traveled on my own for more than 5 years around the world. I made my living working on boats. I worked as a divemaster diver and a ‘diver’ in the kitchen!

Sailing on the Red Sea from Israel to Yemen and the Pacific Ocean which I crossed twice by sailboat. (Yes in the whereabouts of the Galapagos, a few atolls the Marquises, Tahiti, the Easter Island and so much more!)

I got to contemplate the Southern Cross, dance with sharks and I fill my head with colors and light !

During my stay of several years in Central and South America, I learned from experienced craftsmen the making of ceramics, leather and jewelry. I finally came back to Montreal, rich in my new knowledge and as a new young mother!

I had to rethink my way of working with my materials because one thing is to make jewelry in Costa Rica, another is to make it here!

While carrying out several searches for glazes for my ceramic jewelry, it was during tests with glass powder and mixed mediums that I fell in love with this material.

Glass struck me as the perfect vehicle for me. Welcome to my world…..

CV