Bio A love of color is a driving force behind Melissa Gannon’s art—first in watercolor then acrylic, pastel, mixed media, and oil. Melissa enjoys painting nature. Her inspiration comes from travel, hiking, and exploring her local area. Her home in the Pacific Northwest provides ready access to the coast, rivers, mountains and desert. She loves painting outdoors—portraying a perfect peaceful place in the woods, a bird surveying the world, or the vibrancy of a bunch of daisies. She finds that observations made in plein air painting enhance her studio work. |
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Along with creating art, Melissa shares her skills and knowledge through classes and workshops. She began teaching in 2001 and finds that it enhances her work as she strives to find challenging material for the fast-growing skills of her students. Some of her students have attended her classes for over ten years, and she loves seeing their artistic expression grow.
Galleries exhibiting Melissa’s work include Earthworks Gallery in Yachats, OR and Aurora Gallery in Vancouver, WA. She participates in local shows including the Oregon City Festival of the Arts and the Oregon City Festival of the Arts.
—Artist Photo by Eric Griswold
Artist Statement Each painting is a journey of discovery. Influenced by the Impressionists, I love to explore layering and arranging colors into vibrant patterns of light and beauty that unfold onto the canvas and reflect the joy inherent in the world around us. Nature is the primary model I paint from. I’m attracted to the shapes formed by light and shadow, the mosaic of sun-dappled leaves, or the visual delight of a meadow of wildflowers seen from a mountainside trail. I seek to share the wonder of these experiences in my work and bring a piece of nature’s bounty indoors for all to enjoy. |
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Process
Melissa’s pieces are built using many layers. She works on paper, canvas and cradled mixed media board. Over the years she has worked in watercolor, acrylic, pastel, mixed media, and oil. Her mixed media pieces combine and utilize her experience in multiple mediums. Using watercolor washes that flow and change gives her the experience to create flowing washes with acrylic inks, granulation medium, and water. Applying clear watercolor ground over acrylic and acrylic ink washes over that creates a flow of color over an existing background. Collaging pieces of rice and other papers adds interest and texture. Adding layers of gloss medium separates layers and adds increased depth. Combining oil and cold wax with various mark making creates interest and depth. Transparent watercolor mixed with opaque gouache and acrylic ink and granulation medium creates depth and texture on paper. Ink creates wonderful glazes over dried gloss medium layers. Each piece is a unique, amazing combination of colors, layers, and textures adding depth and richness to each design and surface, creating a satisfying visual feast for the eye.
Inspiration
Much of my inspiration comes from the outdoors. Many of my paintings are inspired from hikes and trips with my family. |
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