Melia Fernandez, 21, is a West LA-based ceramicist and jewelry artist turning clay and metal into pieces that feel organic, intuitive, and deeply personal. What started as classes at Santa Monica College turned into vending at pop-ups, and now her work has shown up at Clay LA at Craft Contemporary Museum, a major milestone for emerging ceramic artists. Surprisingly, she switched majors from art history to massage therapy, which actually informs the way she works with clay. Melia creates almost every day, switching between pottery and hammered-metal jewelry, letting intuition — not sketches — lead the process. Her signature orchid motifs and textured surfaces pull straight from nature and art history influences. Melia’s advice to young creatives? Take the scary opportunities. Someone out there is already waiting for your work.

Follow Melia on Instagram at @melias_art15. Shop her creations here (perfect Mother’s Day gifts).

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