Melody Cleary, ISAP
My paintings exhibit my interest in creating a sense of time and space that are representational, or not, with abstract qualities and textural elements. Nature is always a big inspiration for me particularly water and trees. I'm a Portland, Oregon native and all of the textures around me play into my work. Manipulating the layers of paint is an exciting and sometimes frustrating process of discovery.
I've been drawing and painting since grade school and took classes at a local art school, art centers and community college in the 70's and 80's in the Portland area, moonlighting while I was employed. Since retirement in 2000, I've 'gone to my room' and practiced to find my own voice with paint and colors and I was using my own photo images as reference to produce realistic/impressionistic landscapes. More recently, I needed new inspiration. New tools, mark making, and new limited color palettes for creating intuitive abstract paintings has been an exciting and new chapter for me.....working from a place of 'not knowing' and having no real preconceived ideas, yet, nature's images do come through because that's where my heart is. Taking Nancy Hillis' (Stanford) online course The Artist's Journey really lit my fire. The most wondrous things happen on the surface when you incorporate random mark making into the painting process. A new direction also became essential for me because of the progressive nature of a neurological disease which has weakened my hands. I use larger brushes and silicone spatula-like color shapers along with pencils of various kinds to stay loose to attain a semi-abstract or pure abstract design. I utilize the mark making to give the work excitement and abstract quality.
Thank you for viewing my website and please contact me with any questions.
Signature Member of the Int'l Society of Acrylic Painters.
Past member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon.
Instagram @melodyclearyart
Facebook @melody.cleary.art
I've been drawing and painting since grade school and took classes at a local art school, art centers and community college in the 70's and 80's in the Portland area, moonlighting while I was employed. Since retirement in 2000, I've 'gone to my room' and practiced to find my own voice with paint and colors and I was using my own photo images as reference to produce realistic/impressionistic landscapes. More recently, I needed new inspiration. New tools, mark making, and new limited color palettes for creating intuitive abstract paintings has been an exciting and new chapter for me.....working from a place of 'not knowing' and having no real preconceived ideas, yet, nature's images do come through because that's where my heart is. Taking Nancy Hillis' (Stanford) online course The Artist's Journey really lit my fire. The most wondrous things happen on the surface when you incorporate random mark making into the painting process. A new direction also became essential for me because of the progressive nature of a neurological disease which has weakened my hands. I use larger brushes and silicone spatula-like color shapers along with pencils of various kinds to stay loose to attain a semi-abstract or pure abstract design. I utilize the mark making to give the work excitement and abstract quality.
Thank you for viewing my website and please contact me with any questions.
Signature Member of the Int'l Society of Acrylic Painters.
Past member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon.
Instagram @melodyclearyart
Facebook @melody.cleary.art
