Melanie Merenda
#5 CURVE downstairs • www.creaturesvirtue.com • creatures.virtue@gmail.com • @creatures_virtue
Melanie Merenda is a multi-disciplinary artist specializing in jewelry design, metal smithing, and painting. A New York native, she graduated with her BFA in Jewelry from Pratt Institute in 2014, and quickly began working in NYC's jewelry industry. It was during this time that she began to hone her skills as a jeweler, and discovered her passion for teaching and bespoke fine jewelry.
She moved to Asheville in 2016 to pursue these passions further by opening up shop as Creature's Virtue in the River Arts District. She has long been enamoured with fantasy, the macabre, and protection symbols, and these are the driving inspirations for her current body of work.
In addition to her collection of limited edition jewelry and whimsical animal portraits, she has recently begun to shift her focus towards custom bespoke jewelry. Jewelry has long been used as a wearable way to mark significant life events, because of its ability to be imbued with meaning that is unique to the wearer, and she finds this especially appealing. The focus of her custom work is unique wedding and engagement rings, as well as less traditional memorial jewelry that uses teeth in combination with semi precious and precious gemstones to create a one of a kind way to take our pets and loved ones with us wherever we go.
