MELISSA FINELLI
BOSTON MA
About Melle
Melissa Finelli is a Boston-based jeweler and metalsmith who creates work in her Fort Point studio. Melissa studied metalsmithing at the North Bennet Street School and sculpture at the School of Museum of Fine Arts. Melissa's award-winning works are intimate sculptures to adorn the body and encompass an appreciation for organic forms and playful design. Her jewelry is forged by hand in silver or 18k gold by heating the metal, and then hammered to sculpt the piece into life. By creating jewelry in this process it is Melissa's intention that no two pieces are exactly alike. Her jewelry showcases smooth forms, playful spinning circles, or sprouting appendages in unfussy designs.
Studio Process
My process is spontaneous. I don't plan or draw out my idea; most often I don't know what the piece will become until the very last moment. I am always in motion in the studio- hammering, sawing, and soldering a flurry of activity. The process of hand fabricating allows me to work spontaneously, letting one thing lead to another. While manipulating my materials I aim to create movement and space in a solid form. The challenges of engineering these intimate sculptures excites me. I am drawn to the inherent obsessiveness of creating these minute compositions, all the while seeking a balance of precision and chaos in each piece.
CLICK HERE to read our interview with her!
Melissa was featured in Pistachios Summer 2021 exhibition 'Form and Function' alongside Melis Agabigum, Mia Kwon, Michal Lando, Jennifer Merchant, Natasha Miller, Emilie Pritchard, and Myung Urso
