Charleston Harbor the night H L Hunley sank the Housatonic
5' H x 20' W
1.524 x 6.096 m

Lex Melfi was born in Summerville, South Carolina, USA.  Lex loved to travel the United States, and lived in Carmel, California for ten years.  He also lived in Miami, Florida for five years, and N. Platte, Nebraska for two years.

After living in Miami for four years, he gave notice to leave for one year, and right after giving notice he was sent to a tempering plant to pick up a piece of tempered glass and stepped out of his truck and right next to him was another truck parked with a piece of ”sand carved glass”.  At the time Lex did not know what the glass was called and looked at the piece for about two minutes and overwhelmed by the beauty, he told himself at that moment that this is what he wanted to do for a life long profession.

With much determination, Lex found someone to teach him how to do this work within an hour and a half.  At first he was told “no” but with much determination and after promising this person that he would never be his competition or teach anyone else.  Lex gave him this promise, and has now been in business for ten years and has created what can be seen on the slide show.

He has also sailed from San Louis Obispo, California to Miami through the Panama Canal, and has toured Mexico City to go to the Museum of Anthropology, with much interest in The Ancient Mayan and Aztec Pyramids, Ruins and Civilizations.  During this time Lex was sailing and was out at sea for an entire year …..

Lex started off as a Plumber with his father at the age of 12 and became a Structural Iron worker and then went back to plumbing for approximately ten years.  After he left Carmel, California he went to Miami, Florida and became a Glass Glazer after hurricane Andrew.  He was there for four years and found his passion in life.

Lex comes from a Catholic family of four brothers and four sisters.  Lex’s great, great grandfather moved to Charleston, South Carolina in 1847 and in 1881 his great grandfather was with the Railroad called the 'Carolina Special'  
His great grandfather passed away in 1931 and he was the oldest conductor that ever lived in Charleston. 

His grandfather was a Pharmacist in Summerville, South Carolina a suburb of Charleston, where he raised his family.  

Lex is an Italian Sicilian descendant and his family came from Melfi, Italy..... 
Melfi in Italian means “sweet as honey” which is always interesting to learn the meaning of. 

Lex is Italian, German, Irish and English, 
which means “Lex” is just a Heinz 57, great kind of guy

Grace Memorial Bridge in 
Charleston, South Carolina USA
5' H x 16' W
1.524 x 4.826 m
click on photo to see larger picture