Lara Melnik - visual artist (beadress)
Lara lives near the shore of Shallow Bay on Lake Laberge. A small cabin with no power or running water provides a perfect setting for exploring her artistic talents. She has a strong attraction to striking colours and this is evident in her art work. Primarily self taught, Lara has been making unique jewelry for many years. Her obsession with beads has driven her to create her own, using polymer clay and the ancient Italian technique of millefiori canework. Her latest discovery evolved from piecing together a number of canes to form an intricate design which she coins “quiltwork”. Lara is most content working with her hands, surrounded by beads and birds and mountains creating art that puts a smile on someone’s face. She was rewarded with first prize People’s Choice Award for Jewelry at the 2001 Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik, NWT. She has participated in numerous shows in the north during 2002/2003 including two solo exhibitions in Whitehorse. Through teaching workshops Lara shares her love of this colourful medium and exposes people to it’s artistic strength.
ExhibitionsYukon Artists @ Work - The Grotto, Yukon Arts Centre, Whitehorse, Yukon.
July 2004 Group exhibit. Polymer clay flatwork. Big at Heart - The Chocolate Claim, Whitehorse, Yukon.
May 2004.Solo exhibit. New works in polymer clay. 3rd Annual Yukon Riverside Arts Festival - Dawson City, Yukon.
August 2003. Exhibited artwork over three day festival. Demonstrated polymer clay techniques.
The Rave: Ravensdale 2003 - Issaquah, Washington. Aug. 2003 Open Exhibit at International Polymer Clay Conference hosted by The Northwest Polymer Clay Guild. Polymer clay sculpture titled “The Ripening” and “When The Canes Come Together”.
15th Annual Great Northern Arts Festival - Inuvik, NWT. July 2003
Exhibited artwork during the 10-day festival. Demonstrated artwork in
the gallery. Recipient of the People’s Choice Award - 1st for Jewelry.
Points of View ’03 - Captain Martin House Gallery, Whitehorse, Yukon.
June 5th-28th, 2003 Group exhibition of new works. Polymer clay sculpture
titled “Boletus Rubeadica”, Peoples Choice Award - 6th ENGAGE
2003 - Yukon Arts Society & Friend of the Gallery, Whitehorse, Yukon.
May 31st, 2003
Polymer clay sculpture “Grown in the Yukon”.
SuperPolyFragilistic! - The Chocolate Claim, Whitehorse, Yukon.
May 2003.Solo exhibit. New works of sculpture and “quiltwork” in polymer clay.
Members Exhibition: Dawson City Arts Society - ODD Gallery, Dawson City, Yukon. March 2003
Group exhibit including two polymer clay sculptural pieces “When the Canes come Together” and “Outburst”.
From Bead to Z - Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters, Whitehorse, Yukon. November 2002.
Solo exhibit of new works in polymer clay that explore the Bead and beyond. The exhibit includes recent millefiori flatwork, whimsical sculpture and extreme big-bead jewelry.
Arts in the Park - Yukon Arts Society. Whitehorse, Yukon. July 29th-August 2nd, 2002.
Points of View ’02 - Captain Martin House Gallery, Whitehorse, Yukon. June 3rd-29th, 2002
Group exhibition of new works. Polymer clay flatwork titled “BigBlueCraze”. Peoples Choice Award - 3rd
Beads and Bodies - Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters, Whitehorse, Yukon. March 2002.
Group exhibition with paintings by Marie-Helen Comeau and polymer clay work by Lara Melnik.
Cranberry Fair - Whitehorse, Yukon. December 2001/2002/2003
Juried Art and Fine Crafts Fair.
Klondike Institute of Art and Culture - Dawson City, Yukon. November 2001/2002/2003
Juried Art and Fine Crafts Fair.
1st Annual Yukon Riverside Arts Festival - Dawson City, Yukon. August
2001. Exhibited artwork over three day festival. Demonstrated polymer
clay techniques. Instructed workshop in polymer clay.
13th Annual Great Northern Arts Festival - Inuvik, NWT. July 2001
Exhibited artwork during the 10-day festival. Demonstrated artwork in
the gallery. Instructed a workshop in polymer clay for artists and public,
and one for children. Recipient of the People’s Choice Award - 1st
for Jewelry.
Publications
400 Polymer Creations - Lark Publications. Asheville, NC, USA
Three works accepted for publication, fall 2004. Polymer clay flatworks
“My Summer in the Yukon” and “Comfort”. Polymer
clay sculpture “Candy Bowl Heist”.
Education
I am self-taught in the medium of polymer clay. In 1989 I began jewellery-making
using glass beads, found objects, gemstones and wood. I started using
polymer clay in 1994 to create beads and from 1998 onward polymer clay
became the focus of my jewellery work. Since 2000 I have been exploring
the medium beyond making beads and have created landscapes, mosaics and
sculpture. Access to polymer clay publications and online resources has
been useful but has had its limitations. As a result, all of my work has
been self-directed.
Workshops
Lara has instructed one or two day workshops in polymer clay bead-making
for youth and adults alike. These have been held as private and public
groups in Whitehorse, Dawson City, Haines Junction, Atlin and Inuvik.
Reviews and Quotes
“whoa those are radical designs and I love the little statues. The amazine quiltwork is likeÉ um amazing. It is all just saweet!
- Ben B.F. at SuperPolyFragilistic exhibition
“This is a work a person could happily lose herself in and browse
for hours in the exquisite detail. Brava!”
- Review of BigBlueCraze at the Points of View ’02 exhibition.
“ Borblicious! Budding with colour! Beautiful! Simply Stunning”
“ Petite feé des couleurs, du bonheur et du printemps. Ce
que tu creés et ce que tu es, est trés inspirant!”
“Sci-fi meet Zibulon! Glad you’re at the intersection”
- Quotes at From Bead to Z exhibition.
Memberships
National Polymer Clay Guild
Yukon Arts Society
Dawson City Arts Society
Yukon Crafts Society
Yukon Artists @ Work
YUKON ART SOCIETY