Artist of the Week: Melissa Misoda

Seattle might be notorious for niche coffee shops and scenic waterways, but locals know it's also home to an array of people who love to create. This city is chock-full of artists who we love to feature weekly on Seattle Refined! If you have a local artist in mind that you would like to see featured, let us know at hello@seattlerefined.com. And if you're wondering just what constitutes art, that's the beauty of it; it's up to you!

Seattle Refined: How long have you been creating art? What mediums do you work with?
Melissa Misoda: I have been blowing glass for 25 years but creating art my whole life. I primarily work in glass but often incorporate metal into my larger sculptures.

Can you tell us about your artistic process and how the different stages work into it?
I was captivated by glass from the first moment I worked with it. The spontaneity of this flowing, raging hot material was just so terrifying and exciting at the same time. I have never gotten over the fact that my material starts as a molten puddle, and using only tools, can be shaped into anything! The style in which I work often stems from the spontaneity of my materials. While I go into each piece with an idea, I execute it by allowing my materials to flow naturally. Whether it be 'freezing' a drop of molten glass and using it to create my' wall chandelier series, or by allowing the molten color to flow into the patterns created in my Earthscape Vessels.

Tell us about where your inspiration for your art comes from?
My current series of "Earthscape Vessels" was created out of response to quarantine. Longing to get out and experience what is often taken for granted — from mountains to beaches to fields of flowers — these vessels hope to enhance and bring the natural beauty of the earth into your current space, wherever that may be.

Do you have a specific "beat" you like best – nature, food, profiles, etc.?
I can be all over the place — I am constantly seeking inspiration from everything!

Do you have one piece of art that means more to you, or is extremely special to you?
I still have the very first piece of glass I ever made — it is misshapen, off-center and really lumpy, but it is the piece that started my love of working with glass and it's priceless!

What experiences in your life have affected your art the most?
My time in college (BFA & MFA). Just being given that gift of time to focus on solely on making my work. Amazing.

If we want to see more of your work, where should we go to find it?
My website and Instagram.

What is next for you? Anything you're working on right now that you're really excited about?
My current Earthscape series is pretty new and still evolving, so every piece is super exciting to make.

Lastly, how do you take your coffee? (We ask everyone!)
Strong!