Not Just Ladies Who Lunch: Melanie Wells
Getting to know some fabulous ladies who work in the arts!
Welcome to the Monday series Not Just Ladies Who Lunch. This will be an ongoing addition to the blog, meant to introduce you to some arts professionals. Their jobs will vary from freelance graphic designers to music composers, auction house specialists to cake decorators. Be sure to check back every Monday for a new profile. If you would like to be featured, please do send me a note! I am opened to suggestions as this piece evolves. Here goes week four:
Meet Melanie!
Melanie is my BFF Melissa’s big sister! Her cakes never cease to impress when they pop up in my Facebook timeline and after editing this post I need to go eat some icing. This is a social worker with some serious talent! Read her story below, and be sure to follow Melanie’s work on Facebook here.
I am a Social Worker by day and baker/cake decorator by night! I got my Bachelor of Arts Degree at St Francis Xavier University in Antigonish Nova Scotia and my Bachelor of Social Work Degree at St Thomas University in Fredericton New Brunswick. I am a self taught baker and took a few cake decorating classes to learn the basics. I have always loved to bake and four years ago I decided to start decorating. I started making cakes for my co workers and then for family and friends. Soon I started getting requests for party cakes and wedding cakes. One of my biggest accomplishments was to actually make all the cupcakes for my own wedding this past fall (something I always said I would do!).
I work as a Child Protection Social Worker for the Province of New Brunswick. My job is very high stress so baking and decorating for me in an escape. I do get stressed when I am doing custom cakes but its a completely different stress from my day job.
I live and work in Moncton, New Brunswick which is my home town.
I do have to mention my friend Becca Pemberton (above) who is a true artist; she actually does a lot of the sculpting work on my cakes!
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I think like many kids I went through a whole list of careers: Vet, Marine Biologist, Teacher, Truck driver, chef etc….I do know I have wanted to me a Social Worker since I was in high school. I learned about the career from one of cousins who was studying Social Work and it really interested me. I can’t tell you exactly why I chose Social Work, I just really feel like it was the right choice for me. I am 5 years into my career and really look forward to see what the future holds. That being said, I do dream about leaving Social Work behind someday and opening my own bakery!
What is the best piece of advice you were ever given?
This question took a lot of thought but I think it would be to always do your best. My parents are both very hard workers and really instilled those values in me and my sister. When we were growing up they never demanded perfection but they did expect us to try our hardest and always do our best. That is something that I still aim for today. Even if I had a bad day at work, or I am not happy with a cake I have made, I can be assured by the fact that I did the best I could.
Can you name your biggest success and/or failure in your career so far?
I really can’t pinpoint my biggest success in terms of my baking, I still cannot believe how fast my little hobby as grown. As I said I went for doing cakes for friends birthdays to now being paid to do what I love and actually having to turn away orders because I am so busy. One of the things I am most proud of is the fact that I have made a number of my friends wedding cakes. I loved being able to do that for them and being apart of their special day in that way. My younger sister is getting married this summer and I cannot wait to create a beautiful cake for her big day!
Name a tool you can’t live without.
I have two things that I could not live without. The first would be my Artisan Kitchen Aid Mixer, I could not go a day without that thing. It is a staple on my counter and I use it a number of times per week. The second would be my double ovens, I cannot imagine going back to only one!
Do you have a mentor/Who would your dream mentor be?
I would have to say that my mentor would have been my Nana Wells. Growing up I spent a lot of time visiting with her. She did not have a car, lived in a village without even a store and did not have cable. We spent a lot of time cooking and baking together. We would always be making cookies or homemade rolls. When I was younger every birthday we got a cake with boiled icing and every Christmas ginger bread men. My Nana really instilled in me the love of baking and I cannot wait to do the same with my kids and grandkids someday.
My Nana passed away in 2005 but I know she is proud knowing that I am still baking!
