Melt’m: Solo Exhibit (with Giveaway!)

Just like being on a boat crossing two continents, I am creating my works by the artistic tides and techniques from the East and West. –Meltem Semizoglu

introducing melt’m

I am always amazed at metalworkers and the amazing pieces they can create. Melt’m is a shop that struck me the instant I saw it: her jewelry is unique and simple, stunning and classic all at the same time.  A resident of the Turkish region Anatolia, Meltsem is a lawyer by a day and a jewelry designer by night.

The enameled series is what first caught my eye in her shop, from the rings, like this “Purple Rain in a Flower:”

. . . to the wing shaped earrings aptly called “On the Wings of an Angel.”

And as I am a bit of a sucker for animals, her fabulous collection of animals done in metal draws me right in.  Check out “Naughty Mr. Cat.”

More of a hippo person than a cat person? Melt’m has got you covered!

The most repeated motif in this shop is of the classic rose. Melt’m offers many interpretations of nature’s oldest beauty.

in her own words

Curator B: How did you get into the art of metalsmithing and jewelry design?

I have been interested in crafting since my childhood because my mom used to be an artist also. I have started beading as a hobby 6 years ago. I have found the escape from the stress of being a lawyer with the colorful beads. After studying with beads for about 2 years, I have realized that it wasn’t enough for me to work with ready made materials. So I started to design my own works and learned to do metal work.

Curator B: How does living in Anatolia influence your work?

Living in Anatolia which is a great combination of culture, thousands-of-year-teachings and nature, makes all of my works unique and distinguished from the average. You may get lost in the cultural attraction of Istanbul while fooling around the city, you might open your eyes in the bedroom of a sultan or in a modern arts exhibition, which inspires you deeply, penetrating to your dreams and imagination. You may get dizzy while enjoying the maiden towers 360 degrees view or while gazing the dancing ‘alevi’ and ‘mevlevi’. Just like being on a boat crossing two continents, I am creating my works by the artistic tides and techniques from the East and West. My works have been produced by traditional goldsmithing and silversmithing techniques.

Curator B: Do you have a current favorite item in your shop? What is it?

Every design I create means something different to me and I love them all separately. My favorites right now are the enameled series. Enamel is a new medium for me and I am working with a great excitement.

Curator B: Are there any new techniques you’d still like to learn or new materials you would like to try that you haven’t yet had the chance to use?

Jewelry design is a very wide area of subject. Sawpiercing, wax casting, stone setting are some of the techniques that I was trained for and operating right now. Nowadays I am more working on wax casting and I am trying to improve myself in that certain area. I am planning on giving gemstones more place in my designs. Other than that another technique I want to try is the gemstone inlay.

Curator B: When did you first start selling on Etsy, and what made you decide to set up shop there?

I started using Etsy in June of 2008. My shop at Etsy was the turning point for my art and for my progress as an artist. It really motivated me that my designs were loved and bought at Etsy community. I worked harder and it helped me focusing on creating collections. That’s why I owe a lot to Etsy. Over the past 1.5 years I have experienced a lot about sales and my designs. That’s why I believe I have achieved to a certain point in my career. However, in this profession, It seems like there is always some room for development.

Curator B: What is the most surprising thing about selling on Etsy? The most challenging?

Most interesting thing about Etsy is that I can sell the same product over and over again, and some of the favorite items at real life not being sold in Etsy. Most difficult part of Etsy is the challenge of producing and trying to make advertisement at the same. To sell at Etsy, it is not enough to list the item and wait for it to be sold. Finding this out was very interesting for me. There is one more thing that I experience a lot here. Karma from the east philosophies works exactly.

the giveaway

Meltem has offered this most generous giveaway:

Rose Collection Leather Bracelet

To win this beauty, stalk around in Melt’m for a bit and then return here to tell us about your favorite item from her shop. One entry per person, please. Winner will be chosen at random next Monday, January 18. Happy stalking and good luck!

Meltem has also graciously offered to give our readers a 20% discount on everything in her shop. (Do I hear a woot woot?)