About Me-

Art has a powerful authority over my senses. It influences how I see the world around me, and the world around me influences how I create my art. 

As a child, I loved to draw. At MassArt I studied photography. In graduate school, my focus was Art Education. In my studio, I obsessed over abstract painting and collage.

 In my 20’s I became an art teacher. I always enjoyed being around children. They have a humorous spirit I can relate to. My lessons focused on self-expression and the experience of creating.

 In my late-30’s I resigned from teaching to start a family. Motherhood quickly took precedence as I struggled to find time to create. I stuck to mediums that were easier to use between naptimes, such as pencil and watercolor. Eventually, I carved out a space in my home that was child-free, and gravitated back to more process-based creating like mono-printing and collage.

 I’ve always loved discovering new mediums -anything I can get my hands on I’ll try. I’ve even dabbled in digital art, although nothing compares to getting your hands dirty! 

 As I entered my 40s and motherhood extended beyond changing diapers and chaperoning playdates, so did my time in the studio. As a result, I discovered my greatest joy lay in mixed media.This is where my creativity thrives.

I love the adventure of building upon layers, there’s always an uncertainty to how a medium will respond. Its unpredictable each and every time.

 Simultaneously, my childhood love for drawing re-emerged and I found myself gravitating towards quirky, anthropomorphic type characters (most likely as a result of my love for children’s books as a teacher) and I began incorporating them within my work. 

As a result - the name for my storefront Mélange49 was born: 

(Melange- A mixture/medley of things)

Quite recently I entered my 50’s and once again my work has changed, encompassing more of an organic feel. Less representation - more abstraction, less intentional direction - more intuitive play. Oddly enough, it’s almost as if I’ve come full circle- creating as I once did as a child- from the heart.

I hope to have my new work represented here soon, as it takes time to update a website

NEW STUFF SOON TO COME!

Thank you for taking the time to visit.

Warmly, MELANIE ANN