About the Artist

Melusae is the creative project of Madison Barnett. Madison is a community taught artist based in the northwest of Washington state who uses traditional hand craft techniques to create unique works in bronze, silver, and in print.

As a maker, Madison is driven by the ability of craft to transcend time, as ways of working with hands and artistic inspirations are passed down through centuries of human experience. Her work is influenced by history, the work of ancient craftspeople and devotion to hand craft itself, as well as mythology and personal synchronicities.

About Melusae

Melusae is a small woman owned business specializing in handmade adornment of the home and the body. The artwork we put on our walls and the ways we choose to adorn ourselves has an immense power to influence mood, comfort, and confidence. Adornment has the ability to make us feel the most like ourselves. The coolest, most confident, most creative, most inspired version. When we feel visually excited by our home and how we present ourselves, we feel comfortable in who we are, and by extension, a bit more comfortable in the world. When those things are made by artisans, even better.

Melusae Meaning

The name Melusae comes from the words Melusine and Melissae. The Melusine is a spirit who inhabits fresh water and holy wells in western european folklore. She is better recognized as the two tailed mermaid. The Melissae were the bee priestesses of ancient Greece. 

In choosing the name Melusae, the word had to feel like it belonged in a watery temple. It had to be rooted in folklore, with a sound like a deity or creature. Rather than treating this project like a brand or business, it could be treated like a goddess to be worshipped.