Melanie Long

Available at the Alberta Craft Gallery - Edmonton & Calgary

Melanie Long is an artist and educator hailing from Calgary, Alberta. She earned a Bachelor of Art from the Alberta College of Art and Design and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Calgary. Over the years, Melanie has studied glass techniques around the world, including the Sonoran Glass School in Tucson, Arizona, Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia; Pilchuck Glass School in Washington State; Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina; and the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. Currently, Melanie takes great pride in teaching glassblowing. She loves nothing more than seeing her students' "ah-ha" moments, where they begin to grasp how to use gravity as a tool and start to see the bigger picture. Her enthusiasm for teaching is fueled by her passion for art, which she uses to express her concerns over conservation, climate change, habitat destruction, and the endangerment of indicator species in Canada. Melanie's recent artworks are a response to these pressing issues. Through her art, she hopes to raise awareness and inspire people to take action in protecting our planet's precious resources. Her works are infused with narrative elements, and she loves creating anthropomorphic sculptures that give voice to the voiceless. Melanie believes that art is a powerful tool to inspire change and create a more sustainable world for future generations.