Hi, I'm Melanie Berman. For the past 20 years I have worked with a variety of craft materials, both in my teachings and in my own work. While becoming captivated with pewter on an embossing workshop a few years ago, it has become my main medium for creative self expression.In my home country of South Africa, pewter is used extensively in art and embellishment. In my work I use mainly pewter and copper sheet, combining them with different waxes and colourful inks. As well as the metal, I use other forms of mixed media, including textiles, wirework, coloured foils and other decoration. I create one-off pieces as well as using the metal for notebooks, journals, mirror frames and boxes.I draw my inspiration from nature as well as sculptural pieces and architecture. I am constantly looking for new creative ideas in the many photographs that I take on my travels.