And nooooo .... I don't mean allergy season.  Although it IS allergy season, that snot what I'm referring to.  (see what I did there?)
It's Spring, of course, you sillies.  
I've been painting.  A lot.  Like, I didn't realize how much I'd been painting until I started the spring cleaning in the studio.  There are winged creatures and feathers and fish scales and space matter and singing women and flowers galore.  
Of course, you know I'm talking about the paintings, right?  Otherwise, the cacophony of all that would surely have been reported by the neighbors ... 
As always, I have that reluctant feeling when I start releasing my words and works into the world. The hesitation of "it's not ready" and the "what if".   And then it occurs to me.
The art wants to stop seeing me and me only. 
The art wants to be released.  
The art wants to be on new walls and in new spaces. 
To be lovingly admired by new faces.  To be ooh'd and ahhh'd over.  
To let their stories be told.
The only "what if" is the pressure of "what if I don't release it" which makes it easier to do so.
Because clearly if I don't, all that cacophony will be trapped in the studio and then I have to deal with the neighborhood reports.   Definitely not a bucket list item.

I'll be back at one of my favorite Colorado Springs watering holes, District Elleven as the April featured artist!  I'll be there on First Friday (April 5), do stop by to see me and my art and support local small businesses!  

(PSA: The website is not completely caught up to this decision.  There are some visual snacks available for you here.)  


XO - Melissa

I think for many people the year 2023 was a big challenge.  It certainly was for me.  
This is evident in that my last blog post was nearly a year ago in April 2023.  
I went silent from my creative self. I road tripped for a while after that post. 
Perhaps I was clearing my head of the life notices and circumstances which occurred in the first four months of 2023?
Perhaps I was subconsciously preparing for the series of Very Big and Deeply Personal Traumatic events that were to come in the future months?
Perhaps I thought taking my hands off the figurative sticky wheel of some parts of my life would alter their trajectory?
The solo road trip remains epic in my mind.  More on that another time.  

I cannot, Cannot, CAN NOT possibly ever, Ever, EVER convey the gratitude and love I have for my family, network of friends and community I have in this still-new-to-me hometown of Colorado Springs. Combined with my remote support system from around the world, this group supported me with food, hugs, shoulders, laughter, distraction, notes and phone calls at just the right time.  As if orchestrated by a grand karmic source these amazing souls in my life worked as one big team giving me soft spaces to land when I desperately needed something, anything and didn't recognize the need on my own. 
If you don't have a network like this already, build one. 
Build it with purpose and intention. 
Be vulnerable and trust others to care for you.
Be open and make space for more to join your network. 
Give it your attention. Cultivate it. Breathe life into it. 
And don't you ever dare take it for granted.  

How will all of this show up in my artwork?  I don't yet know.  As with almost everything in my life for the past few years I'm gonna put that shit into the hands of the Great Karmic Orchestrator and let it take control of the Sticky Wheel of Life.  I'll just say "yes" instead of "perhaps". 

​XO - Melissa

At least that's what we were taught, right? 
Here in The Springs the temperature was 70 degrees F, tonight snow showers are expected, and then low temperature is expected to reach 17 degrees F.   Weather is so fascinating ... friends in Phoenix report 80 degrees, family in Ohio report never ending rain.  

But as mentioned in my previous blog update, spring happens no matter what, and by the calendar it is here! 
If you're yearning for some spring posies and you can't find them yet on your walk or hike, come visit District Elleven (https://districtelleven.org) all through the month of April where I'm the featured artist, and my floral creations will be blossoming on the walls of this beautiful and thoughtful speakeasy.   

​XO, Melissa

Me.  I am.  I'm sure I'm in good company.  No matter where in the world you are located, there is no denying the weather has been stupefying.  Last week in my wee corner of the world we had high wind warnings, below zero temperatures and inches of snow (not too far away from us there were feet of snow!)   Right now, it is 52 degrees, and we have a red flag warning which means fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly.   

Mother Nature always has the upper hand. 

As sure as the sun comes up each day (whether we can actually see it or not) spring is right around the corner, and Mother will begin again to paint our landscape with flowers and bedazzling color.  We know those brave flowers will happen despite (or in spite of?) of any weather warnings, because they got to do what they got to do.   We are grateful for the upcoming show.    

The garden here in my new home state of Colorado (and previous gardens I've had) are the inspiration for the Floral Bouquet Collection.  

I'm beyond thrilled to share these and others at District Elleven, a local speakeasy here in The Springs. They'll be on display in April, but you don't have to wait until then.    New posy portraits will continue to be created so the virtual bouquet will rotate.
Each one is unique, and I can't replicate them exactly.  If you see one you like but it's no longer available, send me an email inquiry.  I can paint a new bloom just for you. 

In the meantime, enjoy one of my favorite poems.  
"For winter's rains and ruins are over
And all the season of snows and sins;
The days dividing lover and lover
The light that loses, the night that wins; 
And time remembered is grief forgotten,
And frosts are slain and flowers begotten, 
And in the green underwood and cover
Blossom by blossom the spring begins."
--Algernon Charles Swinburne


XO, Melissa

"It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself.
Makes you wonder what else you can do that you've forgotten about."  
Lester Burnham, American Beauty

The latest commission painting I did is just such an example of surprise. 

Even though there is a plan behind most of my paintings, the "plan" is not always completely obvious to me.  Let's credit also the muses who were waiting for the moment to contribute.

​Painting blank areas only with water and then dropping in the color never. ever. fails. to take my breath away.   Watching the paint or ink move in mysterious ways is magical (I say this a lot) and mesmerizing.  Maybe a bit addictive.  I can testify that for me, the painting of water is certainly improved if done so with teary-eyed wonder and amazement.  

Check out The McFarlane Commission.  And enjoy the view.

XO - Melissa

I'm feeling crafty.  
I remember using that word "crafty" when I was a kid to describe my parents.  
Because they were wood workers, patio and deck builders, gardeners, shelf making, sewists - you know, they did CRAFTS. 
My parents got a kick out of my usage of that word because the first definition of that word is as follows:
1. clever at achieving one's aims by indirect or deceitful methods
The second definition has to do with actually making decorative objects

So believe me when I tell you when someone admits they are crafty, I give 'em the side-eye.
I don't give them the stink-eye though. Because the stink eye is just ... mean.  Stink eye requires a certain level of witchcraft (witchcraftery? But see, there's the word "craft" again!) I don't possess.  In my family we call that a "SOD" (Sign of Disgust).  We also have an "EROD" (which is an Eyeroll of Disgust), though this is typically saved for when the persons back is turned.  

Anyway - I'm finding the zone again for my CRAFT - the first definition of which is "an activity involving skill in making things by hand".    The studio is much more organized than when I last posted.  My ankle is healing, which means my mode of transportation is now slow walking with a limp*. 

An exciting project is in the works in the form of a large grouping of paintings of koi.  This is a commissioned project for the contractor who did our basement finish - which is the location of my studio.  Kinda meta, no?   There were two directions given to me for this project:  LARGE and LOTS of color.  The sketch has been approved; the color palette decided in theory (additional colors will morph naturally from the existing palette); and a couple of small initial paintings have been approved as well.    Need some ASMR?  Check out this video of koi and space out for a bit. Or, have a shot of tequila if that suits you better.  Actually, why choose?  This is a judgement free zone.

Until I post again, stay well and continue to find amazement in the world.  XO - Melissa
*Speaking of limping, here is an Irish blessing which came to mind yesterday.  Feel free to use it anytime during the upcoming toast worthy season: 
May those who love us, love us
For those who don't, may God turn their hearts
For those whose hearts He cannot turn
Let Him turn their ankles so we shall know them
by their limping

"I wish grace and healing were more abracadabra kind of things. Also, that delicate silver bells would ring to announce grace’s arrival. But no, it’s clog and slog and scootch, on the floor, in the silence, in the dark."  - Anne Lamott

One of my absolutely favoritest authors is Anne Lamott.  There isn't a week that goes by that I don't think about something she's written which just occupies my mind and lets me go on autopilot for at least a few minutes.    

This week my brain has been turning over and around the above gem. Not like a Rubiks cube, that's too sharp and clacky. More like one of those little kid squishy toys that lights up. 

The studio construction mentioned in my last post is complete!  Is the studio set up for me to work in yet - not quite.  I had ankle surgery which hinders me from going up and down the steps - not that I don't try much to the discomfort of some of the people around me.  Perhaps that gives you understanding of why I am thinking of the quote above?  With only one foot allowed on the ground, I clog around on my knee scooter, slog across the carpet and scootch down the steps in order to at least try to show up in the studio.   Slowly, I'm gaining grace and healing.   
Learn more about Ms. Lamott here.  

In the meantime, I've been working on this website, catching up on emails, reading, making cookies - all of which I can do sitting down.  I recently made some preserved lemons and I'm looking forward to cracking those open in the depths of winter when a fresh scent and taste will be welcome.  

Speaking of life giving you lemons, check out this sweet painting :) 

Have a fruitful week.  XO, Melissa

Hello and hello again.  I've missed you.  It has been far too long since I've posted! 
Since my last post in 2021, big changes have happened in my life.  
We decided to move to Colorado in September, 2021 and we all know that when moving, "STUFF" has to be packed away, thrown away, put in storage, etc.  Packing away my studio was a very difficult labor of love as I didn't know when I'd see it again.  We sold our house and left Ohio in January, 2022 on the coldest day of the year and headed to Colorado with only a vague plan of where we'd be living but nothing secured.   Within three weeks of arrival, we found our new home in Colorado Springs, and started moving in!  It wasn't until June that I was able to unpack my studio treasures in our unfinished basement.  And only a few weeks later to pack everything up again as we decided to actually finish the basement.   Work has begun and thanks to our contractor, framing, plumbing and HVAC are complete; and electrical starts today.  If all goes well, in about six weeks, my studio treasures will find themselves back out in the air and the fresh space will start blooming again with creativity.   

Speaking of "blooming", check out the florals I was able to create while waiting for construction to begin.  This is my first attempt at hand drawing and I'm quite pleased with the results.  The colors look so beautiful against the white matting and they are ready to pop right into a frame and hang immediately on your wall. 

I'll be adding some larger format pictures to the gallery as well - some were painted in 2021 before I had to pack everything away and I wasn't able to give them appropriate attention prior to packing for our move.  

I hope all of you are well.  I look forward to connecting with you again.  XO - Melissa  

I've shared before that my studio used to be a bedroom.  When I look to my left from the desk I'm sitting at right now, I look west out onto our side yard, the street and a big tree.  Two things notable about this tree.  One is that last year we installed a bird house on the trunk of the tree.  And that bird house is now occupied by some finches who have a family.  I soooo want to take a picture inside that bird house, but I know the flash from my camera would visually and perhaps physically stunt them and I would therefore be cursed by nature and forever vexed by doing so.  So I won't.  Just know that I want to. 

The other notable thing about this tree is it has grown quite a bit since we've lived in this house.  We've been here twenty years so this is not surprising.  We've had to cut a few branches over the years and of course the wound scars over.  One of these branches that has been cut resembles an eye.  It doesn't even require that much imagination to see it.  It almost looks like an elephant eye because the adjacent branch looks like an elephant trunk.  And of course that adjacent branch is connected to the trunk of the tree.  

So, I'm looking out the window, watching the birds flying in and out of the bird house, which is connected to the trunk of the tree, meanwhile the tree is watching me and waving it's elephant trunk at me and this is all getting very meta and I'm getting only a little weirded out by this as I'm not sure which begat which now.   I'll just leaf it alone.  

Speaking about birds, check out the newest addition to the watercolor flock here!  XO -Melissa

My commission piece for friends/neighbors is almost complete!  My client came to visit last night and approved the work :)  Just a few finishing touches to add and then I can release this out to the world.   

Finishing touches include deckling the edges, a few highlights made with ink and gel pen, my signature (of course), and then varnish.  I'm so excited to see how this will look framed!  Current thoughts are to put it in a black floating frame which will really make the spring colors pop.  I agree and you can see the story behind this commissioned piece here.   

Now the three little birds previously mentioned a post are bathing in their second coat of varnish and should be ready to mount/mat in a couple of days.  And then those as well can be released into the world.  

I continue tweaking my website here and there, which is a never ending job that I love. 
I organized all of my notes from several scraps/slips of paper and post-it notes onto other pieces of paper but now(!) they are categorized so I can pick a few to work on as time allows.  GO ME!   It may not seem an exciting task for most, but for me it's a like a breath of fresh air, and gives me some much needed space on my desk.  whew.  Until later, stay fresh.  XO - Melissa
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