Media WHEN Tanya Smart couldn't find the type of mirror she wanted for her home, she set to work getting an original designed in pressed tin. Now the Wangaratta mother of three with a background in teaching, has embarked on her first business venture, Pressed Tin Mirrors, and is ready to sell her silver and color powder coated creations to the public. The business venture has been 14 months in the making and is a big investment by Tanya. "It's a bit scary and exciting and I'm hoping it all pays off," Tanya said. She said the mirror concept grew from her like of pressed metal ceilings and during the prototype stage she met with several different people experienced with sheet metal. "It's something different and it's beautiful," Tanya said of her choice of material for the mirrors. "You can get different patterns in it and it reflects the light, day and night." The mirrors are custom made in Wangaratta. Tanya is working with Kristian Jones of Reflex Glass in Wangaratta and has also been assisted by Clive Waters of Clive's Photography, who has an engineering background. She said the mirrors brought a piece of artwork to any interior and were suitable for domestic and commercial buildings. They are created using a steel frame with zincalum edging which surrounds different patterned pressed aluminium. Current sizes range from 950mm x 950mm to 2450mm x 2450mm but the mirrors can be custom built to size and they can be hung vertically or horizontally. Tanya said she resisted the suggestion of having the mirrors manufactured in China. "I believe in having quality products made in Australia," she said. By JACQUIE SCHWIND |  |
