About The Artist
Melanie Joy is a Brisbane based contemporary artist and is the creator behind Journey Of A Wanderess. She loves handcrafting unique jewellery pieces for her clients from her home studio in Brisbane’s inner suburb, Windsor.
Born and raised in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges in Victoria, Melanie Joy grew up with Australia’s mystic forest and creatures on her doorstep. Forever in awe at the wonders of Mother Earth, she is heavily influenced by the natural textures that surround her.
Melanie Joy’s love for jewellery making began when she was in primary school and would spend her free time making jewellery from beads. She recalls the feeling it gave her – the same feelings that are received now when she creates jewellery in her studio; joy, peace and happiness. “I am in my own little world when I create.” In later years, Melanie Joy found herself exploring jewellery design in classes for fun, not realising that she would one day be expanding her passion into her own business.
Melanie Joy’s desire to create art with her hands comes from deep within, and growing up, this included anything from ceramics to textiles to jewellery design. Melanie Joy believes she is incredibly lucky to have a creative background and remembers watching her Opa (Grandpa) make jewellery and objects using a process called, enamelling.
“I was fascinated by it and can still remember his small kiln that he owned. He created many amazing statues and objects with clay too. My Poppa was also highly creative with his hands. He loved his wood workshop and enjoyed making beautiful clocks and model ships for family members, and even a dolls house for my sister and myself.”
Melanie Joy has always been intrigued with how materials can be manipulated, and in more recent years how gold and silver can take any shape, form, or texture. In her work, Melanie Joy explores the ancient techniques of Lost Wax Casting and Cuttlefish Casting. Both techniques involve applying heat to metal until it changes to a liquid form (molten metal) and poring the hot metal into a mould to take its new shape.
Graduating from Box Hill Institute (Victoria) in 2013, Melanie Joy obtained an Advanced Diploma in Engineering Technology, Specialising in Jewellery. During her time there, she received a scholarship to study in America for three weeks and had hands on experience in jewellery design, ceramics and glass blowing.
Over the next eight years, she created jewellery on a part time basis, whilst exhibiting in numerous solo and group shows, stocking two Melbourne based galleries, and working other jobs within the jewellery industry. At the beginning of 2020, ‘Journey Of A Wanderess’ was born and Melanie Joy launched her website in October, 2020. Melanie Joy is passionate about creating beautiful and meaningful wearable art for you to love a lifetime.
