Melanie Stanley

My art is all about life’s experiences, our natural environment, and the colorful world around us. I love to interpret nature and the plants and animals that make their homes both in the wild and domestically through mixed media, luscious color, and textures. I paint what I live and love; filling my senses with passion and a strong desire to create with light and color radiating from my paint brushes and brayers. An important component of my work entails painting and staining an assortment of papers that I dry in the sun and then tear up and collage into my paintings. I also enjoy using plants that provide an organic look to some of my monoprints. I use a wide variety of materials to include multiple substrates, inks, oil and soft pastels, posca pens, acrylic and oil paint, watercolor, pens, charcoal, and more! As an artist, I carefully observe the motions and nuances of living, and from my impressions, creations are intricately formed through layers.Both of my parents were artists; and by the time I was in high school, I was attending the Corcoran School of Art and working independently on projects in my high school art classes. I went to college to study fine art and art education, and I have exhibited my work, studied with other professional artists, and taught art classes for many years now.I truly love watching my students grow their artistic visions that are as unique and beautiful as so many blossoms in a garden!