MELISSA GRACE YOUNG and SAMANTHA MELVIN – Out of the Blue: Cyanotype to Monotype
Melissa Grace Young
“I was born a maker. Artistic expression began for me with scissors and crayons and paste and paints. None of those creations remain, but the spark ignited then burns on. I create because I must, for peace of mind, for my sanity really. And as I must, I’ve found ways to make art a big part of my life.
For the last twenty years, I’m drawn to figure and portrait sketching and painting, particularly the female form. And especially the divine female form, the madonna, with halos and hands and flaming hearts, and yes even crowns. I find myself creating madonnas of vivid colors and unbalanced facial features and body parts; so few things in life are perfect, and yet they can be perfectly beautiful.
These days I fill journals with images of everyday wonders, and transcendent figures with extraordinary vision and strength. I’m teaching art journaling with the same passion that I approach my art- with wild abandon and sacred reverence for all things creative. I believe we are all born to create, that we are all part of this ongoing creation story. I love teaching techniques that explore spontaneous approaches to the page. The joy in creative expression happens when we leave behind preconceived notions of what our art should be like, and let the element of surprise and magic guide us.”
-Melissa
Samantha Melvin
From the lens of a gardener and an artist, my work investigates the dynamics of landscape and space. The colorful mixed-media languages of drawing, painting and printmaking speak vibrantly about these environments where the grid reflects the human imprint. Through layered botanical abstractions and patterns, gestural conversations of color, light, and form explore materiality and the biophilic interrelation of interior and exterior.
My work explores our interaction with nature by focusing on the regional native species of wildflowers, plants and tall grass species. Botanical shapes reference the varieties of plant species from my home and my travels as a celebration of place. Their wild diversity is natural to where they root, a living web of interconnected parts in which we plant ourselves. It is their adaptability in this web that reflects the ingenuity of the species in each locality. They are the spirit of the place, “Genius loci,” and remind us that everything is connected.
As an artist and a teacher, I celebrate exploration and play utilizing a variety of media, themes and processes. Discovery occurs when imagery and process serendipitously merge to create a new way of communicating an idea. The possibilities are endless.
Ah, the joy of creating art!
~Samantha
MELISSA GRACE YOUNG and SAMANTHA MELVIN – Out of the Blue: Cyanotype to Monotype
Join Melissa Grace Young and Samantha Melvin for a unique printmaking immersion that blends artistic exploration with the Italian travel experience.
Beginning with the historic cyanotype process, you’ll learn to harness sunlight to create striking blue-toned images on paper. From there the journey will expand into mixed-media, fusing collage and monotype elements to push the boundaries of printmaking.
Daily excursions to the hilltop villages around La Romita will provide abundant inspiration as you capture photographs on your phone or other digital camera. Those photos will be turned into negatives using a printer, and under the Umbrian sun, you’ll expose photosensitized paper with the negatives and found objects. The result will be unique works that weave together memory, place, and image.
Throughout, the focus will be on exploring themes personal to you and developing concepts that may be carried forward into a body of work. Away from the tug of everyday distractions, you’ll find the freedom to create at your own pace reflective of your unique process and inspiration.
Samantha and Melissa warmly welcome all levels of practice!
As La Romita School caters to multiple levels of instruction and various forms of the arts, prices will vary by session, season, instructor, and offerings.