Melissa Walker
Artist and Art Educator
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Melissa Walker
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Melissa Walker, Artist StatementLandscapes Abstracts ATC's Altered Art I have been an artist for as long as I can remember and an art teacher for the last 18 years. Each one of these passions feeds the other. I become a better teacher as I learn and grow as an artist. What I teach my students keeps me focused on the basics of art making and provides me with the opportunity to experiment and become comfortable with many different mediums. There are however, several influences that repeatedly surface in my own work. The landscape has always had a profound influence on my work. Watching the sun come up in the morning, seeing the subtle changes in color, the outline of the trees against the sky, bright negative spaces contrasted with the silhouettes of the branches, the cool blues and greens of the water, all of these things find their way into my art. The strong horizontals of the landscape express the beauty, peace and contentment I find when I am outside. I am most interested in conveying a feeling of solitude with my landscapes. When I look at the beauty of the world, I am reminded how small I am compared to the vast landscape in front of me. I try to capture these images and emotions through the media of watercolor and pastel. Watercolor and pastel help to keep my artwork fresh and loose. I try to work quickly, and avoid overworking the image. With each painting I try to push the boundaries of my knowledge and skill. I was first introduced to abstract expressionism in art school. I have remained fascinated with the artist’s ability to create a work of art using only their imagination and the elements and principles of art. I love the intuitive experimentation and discovery involved in creating abstract art. I try to express the feelings of joy and excitement I have as I make this kind of painting through an energetic combination of textures, patterns and color. Strong diagonals reinforce this feeling. Mixed media, including watercolor, collage, stamping and colored pencils are my preferred way of working abstractly. With these works, I am exploring the process of creating; layering my work much the way a musician layers the many different instruments in a song. This reference to music is often expressed through my choice of titles. Although these two series seem so different
from each other, they both help express two different sides to my personality. I
often enjoy solitude, being able to reflect on life in a quiet, peaceful way.
Yet there is another part of me that rejoices in adventure and learning. These
are the things that keep me full of enthusiasm and energy. Creating different
types of artwork enables me to express who I truly am. |
Upcoming Exhibits and News I'm Published!
It's a beautiful book with images from artists all over the world. There are so many ideas to get your creative juices flowing!
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last updated:
07/03/2008
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