The Hands Behind the Glass
Melanie (Lea) – Founder & Fused Glass Specialist
Lea’s Loft Art Studio has been my dream for as long as I can remember.
But the Lord had other plans — a 20-year detour as an accountant in the corporate world, building skills, patience and precision that I didn’t know I’d one day pour into glass.
Everyone knows me as Melanie, but I was christened with my grandmother’s names, Lea being the first. It’s her name that lives on in this studio and in the signature on every piece I create.
In 2015, by the grace of God, I survived breast cancer. That experience changed everything. With the unwavering support of my wonderful husband, Nic, I turned my dream into reality at the end of 2016 — and Lea’s Loft was born.
My husband and I have always been fascinated by the properties of glass — the way light moves through it, the way heat transforms it, and the way colour and texture come alive in the kiln.
That fascination led me to learn the art of fused glass, and I haven’t looked back since.
Over the years, fused glass has become much more than a creative medium for me. It has become a constant process of learning, experimenting and discovering what is possible. Every firing teaches me something. Every piece presents a new challenge. And sometimes, the kiln has ideas of its own!
I love the technical side of fused glass just as much as the creative side. Understanding compatibility, heatwork, firing schedules and the behaviour of different types of glass is essential to creating work that is not only beautiful, but structurally sound and thoughtfully made.
Today, Lea’s Loft has grown into more than just my personal studio. It is a place where artists, makers, beginners and glass enthusiasts can come together to learn, experiment and share their passion for this incredible material.
I’m particularly passionate about helping other artists discover what they can achieve with glass. Whether someone is taking their first workshop, looking for the right materials for a project, developing a new technique or commissioning a special piece, I love being part of that journey.
Working alongside a talented team of people like Patrys, Tish and Laoni has also allowed Lea’s Loft to become something bigger than the dream I started with. Each person brings their own skills, creativity and perspective, and together we are building a studio that is as much about people as it is about glass.
The possibilities of fused glass are endless, and I’m here to help you discover them — whether you’re commissioning a custom piece, learning a new technique, or simply exploring the magic of glass for the first time.
Welcome to the reality of my dream.
Welcome to Lea’s Loft.
Malebogo Molokoane - Mixed Media (Glass) Artist
We are very privileged to have Tish join the Lea’s Loft Glass Art Studio team.
Tish is a South African mixed-media artist whose practice centres around glass, storytelling and human experience.
She is passionate about challenging the traditional perception of glass as something fragile and untouchable,
instead inviting people to experience its tactile qualities and discover its strength,
versatility and expressive potential.
Her artistic journey began during her first year of tertiary studies, when she was introduced to a
variety of creative electives. Recognising her natural ability for drawing, she began exploring and
developing her artistic voice — a journey that has since taken her into exhibitions,
collaborations and artistic opportunities both in South Africa and internationally.
Her work draws inspiration from interactive representations of human experiences and indigenous games.
These influences provide a rich and vibrant foundation for her creative expression,
allowing her to explore stories, identity, movement and connection through glass and mixed media.
2025 was a particularly significant year in Tish’s artistic career. She was honoured with the National Art
and Culture Award for Outstanding Visual Artist and received the Keys to the Museum Award
from the South African Museums Association. She was also recognised as a Top 125 Artist nominee,
nominated for the Glass Art Society (GAS) Emerging Artist Award, participated in the
Spier Creative Block programme and took part in the 2025 Paris Art Expo – 4th International Edition.
These achievements build on an already impressive career. In 2024, Tish held her first solo exhibition
at the Absa Art Gallery, participated in the KKNK Festival and exhibited at the
Nelson Mandela University Bird Street Gallery. She was nominated for Best Presentation in
Visual Art at the 2024 Kanna KKNK Awards and participated in the Absa Your Story Matters campaign
through a collaborative wall mural artwork.
She also completed a six-month studio assistantship at the Chrysler Museum of Art,
Perry Glass Studio, gaining valuable experience within an internationally recognised glass-art environment.
For Tish, working with glass is about more than creating an object.
It is about accepting the challenge of the medium, experimenting with what is possible and
encouraging people to see glass differently.
Her curiosity, creative energy and willingness to push boundaries make her an exciting artist to have in our studio.
We are delighted to welcome Tish to Lea’s Loft — and look forward to seeing where her creativity takes her next.
Patrys (Juanita) Van Wyk – Fused Glass Artist
Patrys is the creative force behind many of our most intricate and imaginative designs. With an artist’s eye and a
maker’s hands, she has a natural ability to look at a sheet of glass and see possibilities beyond what is
immediately in front of her.
Working primarily in fused glass, Patrys enjoys the challenge of transforming individual pieces of glass into
something completely new. Her work ranges from intricate smaller pieces and functional crockery to
sculptural installations and one-of-a-kind artworks designed to make a statement.
She has a particular love for colour, texture and detail, often experimenting with combinations and
techniques to discover what the glass will do. For Patrys, part of the excitement lies in the process itself
— learning, experimenting, solving problems and sometimes discovering something unexpected along the way.
Her attention to detail is an important part of her creative process. Before a piece ever enters the kiln,
every element needs to be carefully considered, positioned and supported. Millimetres can make a difference,
and once the kiln is fired, there is no simply going back and changing the design.
But Patrys is also her own harshest critic. A finished piece may not always emerge exactly as she imagined it,
and rather than seeing this as failure, she uses each result as another opportunity to learn.
That constant desire to improve and understand the medium more deeply is one of the qualities that makes
her such an inspiring artist to watch.
Her imagination, curiosity and willingness to experiment continually push the boundaries of what she
believes fused glass can achieve. She enjoys taking on intricate challenges and exploring ideas that require patience,
precision and a willingness to try something different.
Patrys brings energy, ingenuity and a genuine love for the craft to Lea’s Loft.
Her work reflects not only her technical ability, but also her personality —
curious, determined, creative and never quite satisfied with simply doing things the way they have always been done.
For us, Patrys represents an important part of what makes Lea’s Loft special:
he belief that working with glass is not only about mastering a material, but about continuing to explore what is possible.
Laoni Hill – Sales, Marketing & Customer Experience
Laoni is the person behind the scenes making sure the world knows about the magic happening at Lea’s Loft.
As our Sales, Marketing & Customer Experience lead, she brings together the creative world of the studio with the people who love, buy, learn and create with glass. From managing our online shop and customer enquiries to developing marketing campaigns, creating content and promoting our workshops and events, Laoni helps keep the business moving and the studio connected to its community.
She is passionate about people and believes that great customer service is about far more than simply processing an order. It is about listening, understanding what someone needs, finding solutions and making people feel welcome — whether they are an experienced glass artist looking for a particular sheet of Bullseye glass, someone purchasing their first supplies, a customer commissioning a special piece, or a beginner walking through the studio door for their very first workshop.
Laoni has a natural talent for connecting with people and enjoys the challenge of finding creative solutions to problems. She is equally comfortable working on the practical side of the business — from sales, stock and online orders to administration and customer communication — and the creative side, where she develops ideas, tells the Lea’s Loft story and finds new ways to share the work of the artists with a wider audience.
Marketing is particularly close to her heart. She believes that good marketing isn't simply about selling a product; it is about telling a story, building trust and helping people understand why what you do matters. Through social media, events, community engagement and everyday conversations with customers, she works to create a stronger connection between Lea’s Loft and the people who support it.
Her goal is simple: to make every interaction with Lea’s Loft feel personal, professional and memorable.
Behind every successful creative studio is a great deal of invisible work — and Laoni is proud to be part of that work.
While Melanie and Patrys focus on creating and pushing the boundaries of glass, Laoni focuses on making sure those creations find their way into the world and that the people who come to Lea’s Loft feel like they are part of something special.
At Lea’s Loft, we don't just sell glass. We help studios and artists succeed with it. Laoni plays an important role in making that promise a reality.
