Young and entranced, Melody Jewitt left her hometown at age of 19 to study glassblowing at Sheridan Institute’s School of Crafts and Design. The extensive three-year program provided long hours in the ‘hot shop’ seeding a new and intimate relationship with liquid glass.

Melody founded Red Om Glass in the summer of 2004 back in her Northern roots of Thunder Bay. The glass jewelry business was built with the assistance of a government grant, building a flameworking studio in her garage and selling her wears through local stores and craft shows. The summer venture evolved quickly, eventually propelling her back to Eastern Ontario selling her work in stores across the country and participating in established craft shows such as the Interior Design Show, Toronto Outdoor Art Festival and the Toronto One of a Kind.

When first moving to Ottawa in 2005, Melody met her future business partner Bronwen McKnight renting glassblowing time from her studio in Merrickville, ON. Their friendship quickly led to years of working and teaching together and the eventual development of Flo Glassblowing, Ottawa.

With works exhibited across Canada (National Arts Gallery, Canadian Clay and Glass) and abroad (New York, Design week) Melody Jewitt’s work continues to get attention, most recently being featured for the second time in the Annual Interior’s edition of the Ottawa Magazine. ‘I’ve been lucky. I knew at an early age my love for creating things and I’ve always been encouraged to chase after that. Glassblowing may not be the straight and narrow route but it’s always been good to me. I won’t be changing my sails any time soon.’