MELISSA KREISA
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
I paint with acrylics, gel mediums and metallic pigments on canvas and am drawn to muted tonal palettes – warm hues of blue, soft greens, gauzy yellows and shadowy grays. I love the way a little bit of metallic or iridescent medium can catch the light and illuminate a mat surface. It is exciting to me when a shimmering effect might make visible a sense of the passage of time. Through my art, I am continuously searching for peace -- exploring themes of spirituality, contemplation, harmony, surrender, and stillness. My hope is that my art appeals to the imagination and intuition in a way that might evoke a sense of connectedness to something greater than ourselves.
BIOGRAPHY
I was born and raised around Washington, D.C. My love of drawing and painting as a young girl led to a Bachelor of Fine Art degree. During this period I spent summers interning with the medical illustration department at Georgetown University. Later education and career choices took me through graduate school and ten years in the corporate world managing an award winning team of graphic designers, computer artists & animators.
In 1999 I got married and we left the DC area with a sense of wanderlust. We started a family abroad - our first daughter was born in Australia the second in Paris, France. We eventually returned to the US and settled back in San Francisco Bay area of California where our son was born.
During these years as a young mother in California, I became an advocate. Our family provided hospitality and support to newly arrived refugees. The emotional challenge of this work was significant. To find balance, I returned to my roots as a painter. These experiences inspired the ‘Seeker Series' and I began exploring themes of strength, peace and resilience.
Over the next 10 years, I exhibited my art throughout the US. I also worked with local galleries and arts organizations curating, hosting and organizing a variety of exhibitions including: Fibre Arts Design in Palo Alto, Gallery 85 in San Jose, JCO's Art Haus in Los Gatos and Anne & Mark's Art Party in San Jose.
A few years ago, our family had another opportunity to live and travel around Europe. I set up a studio in Surrey, England and exhibited with galleries around London. I connected with The Art Agency in Esher (England) who continue to represent my work in the UK through gallery exhibits and art fairs.
After three years of traveling, studying, working, painting, and exhibiting in England, we moved back to California and bought a fixer-upper home in the seaside town of Santa Cruz, CA. I have set up my studio and opened an art gallery in downtown Santa Cruz, CA. For more about the this adventure, please see www.curatedbythesea.com