Art & Artist Update
Power Outages and Spring Storms
A friend of mine on Instagram, Gina Marie, she’s such a great cheerleader (for herself & others!), she wrote a comment on my power outage post:
Melissa brings her own power and light through any storm #thepowerofart
Gina Marie Art
OK, yes, I painted and made good use of my time, But I have to tell you ~ I was NOT a happy camper!lol!
We lost power twice in just a couple of weeks in our NH Spring storms ~ and for several days each time!
We have a generator that kept our necessities covered, (thank you God! and my dear husband who worked all day to keep us warm, cleared of debris, hot coffee!) but our cell phone internet was sporadic at best, and we’re not the kindof folks who have dvd’s or movies downloaded somewhere to entertain us. I was cut off from my people and my emails and my website and my daily wordle with mom, and all the things. It was almost as bad as quitting sugar 😅😂
I’m so in love with what I do every day. Create art and share that creative energy with others. Wow am I lucky!
So I painted using software, and I saved the process timelapse to share with YOU!
And when the internet would come back, I saved the files to share with VIPs ~ some are here ~ I think you can change the speed when you view them ~ try it!
And I saved the high-resolution art and added them to my gallery on Zazzle.com to offer as open edition prints.
I then purchased about 50 of the 5×7″ prints (on linen!) to turn into limited edition pieces that I’ll mail to VIP Collectors this summer.
My Zazzle Gallery includes several of my stores, including one titled MelisPhylla. This is where I post my digitally created and altered art pieces as open edition prints.
To learn more about open edition versus limited edition, visit the SHOP
To learn more about VIP versus VIP Collector, see my FAQ page 👍
While all of that hubbabaloo was going on, I was also preparing for several art exhibitions and art receptions.
My last blog post has the story of where I am exhibiting my art in the month of April.
I’ve attended several opening receptions (see below!)
and I have another show coming up in May at the Newburyport Art Association to co benefit the Opportunity Works community art program.
From the Opportunity Works Website:
OpArt
OpArt is a visual arts program where artists with developmental disabilities create, exhibit, and sell art. The program is a collaboration with the Newburyport Art Association.
Our creative art program provides artists with instruction in the media of their choice. OpArt artists explore printmaking, painting with acrylics or watercolors, drawing, working with pastels, sculptures, ceramics, fabric art, jewelry and more.
OpArt professionally exhibits and markets artwork created by artists in local businesses, gallery’s and organizations.
Opportunity Works collaborates with the Newburyport Art Association to offer the “OpArt” Program which encourages and trains people with disabilities to fulfill their life’s ambitions and interests through the creative process associated with the visual arts.
For more information, please contact
Monica Albach, Director of Operations Newburyport
978-462-6144 x 229
Images & Video of my recent art receptions:
Library Arts Center, Home, Real or Imagined
Newburyport Art Association, We Share One Sky
SEH Studios Spring Visiting Artist Exhibition
Kittery Art Association, Extraordinary Earth
The opening reception to Extraordinary Earth exhibiting at the Kittery Art Association, Kittery Maine.
What’s Next?
I hope you follow along! I’m preparing 3 pieces for a national competition for June (wish me luck!) and I’ve been invited to present an artist talk in June at SEH Studios, Dover NH. As well, I am adding to my available art for sale in my SHOP, and I am preparing art for my VIPs and VIP Collectors.
And there is still more to my wampum story…. I’ll be using that to discuss in the upcoming artist’s talk👌
Melissa Lea
Marie Florence Designs