Welcome new subscribers!

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined me for the recent Spring ArtWALK. It was an incredible success, thanks to your enthusiastic participation and support!

Despite facing some minor setbacks due to the rain, the turnout was fantastic, and I was thrilled to see so many familiar faces along with many new ones. Connecting with each of you is truly the highlight of these events, and your presence made the occasion all the more special.

I'm excited to share some captivating studio shots from ArtWALK. Please take a moment to browse through and relive the magic!

As a token of appreciation for your enthusiasm and dedication, I'm thrilled to offer you an exclusive VIP code that grants you access to a special post-ArtWALK sale in my webstore. This code is my way of saying thank you for being a valued member of my community. Simply enter the code SPRINGVIP24 for 25% off any item at checkout.

But that's not all—exciting things are happening behind the scenes! I'm currently in the process of restocking some of your favorite items, so if you missed out during ArtWALK, now's your chance to snag them before they're gone. Additionally, I'm hard at work creating a brand new "spring inspired" series that I can't wait to share with you all. Stay tuned for sneak peeks and updates on this exciting collection!

This VIP offer is good until May 30th, 2024 and I will link some featured products below. Thanks again and happy shopping! 🛍️

California Poppy Cards_Blank inside

$10.00

CHONKYbee_flower sniffer

$3.00

Spring ArtWALK is around the corner 🌸

Join me on March 23rd and 24th from 11am to 6pm as we reopen the gates of the brewery to the public!

My studio is still nestled near the entrance, affectionately known as the “hot boxes”. You can find me at 642 Moulton Ave. #W6. Be sure to consult the app or pick up a map at the gate for directions.

ArtWALK Pre-Sale

As part of my major studio overhaul this year, I'm working on finding new homes for some pieces from my personal archive. These special artworks will be available for sale at ArtWALK, but I wanted to offer them as pre-sale items exclusively to the VIPs on my mailing list (that's you!). If you're in the LA area and plan to attend ArtWALK, you can purchase any of these items from my web store, and I'll have them packed and ready for you to pick up over the weekend. Simply state your are picking up the work at checkout and use the sticker shipping profile, which will cover only my packing fees. Below are some of the items available for pre-sale, but feel free to explore the web store for more options.

Woman in Poppy Field_Painting on Paper

$350.00

Burn

$150.00

Figure Drawing 2

$150.00

Smorgasburg LA, live painting for Artshare LA

Another exciting update! Last weekend, I had the honor of being invited by Artshare LA to live paint at Smorgasburg LA near the ROW downtown. It was a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new ones too! Live painting is always a thrilling challenge, but one that brings immense rewards. Check out some photos from the event below:

As always, I'll be burning the midnight oil to prepare for ArtWALK. Expect a plethora of new merchandise along with budget-friendly small painting bins. Make sure to save the date for Saturday and Sunday, March 23rd and 24th, 11-6pm each day at the Brewery Artist Lofts, 642 Moulton Ave. Studio #W6. More information on the event including parking information is available at Brewery ArtWALK.

ArtWALK re-cap and tons of SALE items in the web store!

Thank you to everyone who attended ArtWALK on October 21st and 22nd. I’d also like to extend a warm welcome to my new subscribers! Below, you'll find an itemized inventory of the pieces featured in my studio. If you click on an image and hover your mouse over it, you'll find all the relevant information that was displayed on the wall tags during the event. If any of the artworks from the show pique your interest, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at melissa.dyanne@gmail.com.

View fullsize

Garden of Delight

View fullsize

The Look

View fullsize

Shadow Self

View fullsize

Brunch

View fullsize

Forest: yellow leaves

View fullsize

Forest Diorama

View fullsize

Coyotes, they're just like us

View fullsize

Dried Flower Diorama

View fullsize

Night Bandits

View fullsize

Awesome Possum

View fullsize

The Fever Dream

View fullsize

Hand-Painted Trees

View fullsize

Transformation

View fullsize

Nocturnal Animal

View fullsize

Wolf Moon

View fullsize

Deer Blanket

View fullsize

Second Sight

View fullsize

Rutting Season

View fullsize

Alchemy

I've also added numerous new items to my webstore, including the debut of framed collages. I have a wide range of discounted products, and all cards are currently available at a 20% discount. I'm aiming to clear my inventory before restocking the store, so please act fast as quantities are limited. Make sure to grab your favorite items before they run out of stock!

Seascape 1

$20.00

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions and look for continued updates as we move closer to the holidays!

ArtWALK is this Weekend!

October 21st and 22nd from 11-6pm ✨

Join me this weekend in Los Angeles! I had the pleasure of meeting many of you at ArtWALK, and I'm excited to have the chance to reconnect. I've transformed my space into a complete installation that I've titled "The Garden." I've blended new and old work, repurposed materials, and displayed them in unique ways that I've never explored before. Below, you'll find close-up sections that offer a sneak peek of what's in store...

I've also crafted numerous cards, collages, and brand-new designs exclusively for ArtWALK. Additionally, my budget-friendly painting “bins” will be fully stocked for your perusal.

Feel free to message me if you have any questions about the event! My studio address is 642 Moulton Ave. #W6. There will be maps at the entrance as well. Hope to see you this weekend ✨

The Blog is Back!

After a long hiatus, I am thrilled to announce that I am back to longer studio days, shows + events and blog updates! Life became very busy this spring and I had to prioritize other responsibilities (namely, a car with a blown engine), so I was unfortunately compelled to put my artwork on hold somewhat. Thankfully, that period is over, and I am able allocate longer studio days moving forward. Let’s all do the “happy dance” shall we??

Spring Shows: La Artcore in the Brewery Annex

Even with my busy schedule, I was luckily able to participate an amazing group show at La Artcore in the Brewery Annex this Spring.

Curated by the Brewery’s own Baha Danesh, this show deals with the ideas behind the feminine which encompasses the various aspects gender, mysticism and perceptions of women. I was happy to exhibit my painting “Longing” for the first time at this show, alongside “Rutting Season”, “Shadow Self” and “Carnivores”.

Summer Street Art: Comeback Fest hosted by ArtShare LA, DTLA

I was incredibly honored to have been selected as a live painting artist for the 2023 Comeback Fest in DTLA. Engaging in live painting entails meticulous planning, coupled with spending an entire day under the sun, swiftly capturing the essence of my art. While it can be physically demanding, the experience is undeniably exhilarating and enjoyable. Moreover, I had the pleasure of crossing paths with exceptionally gifted artists from the vibrant LA art scene. For more about the event read Comeback Fest on the web.

In the studio: Reworking older paintings into drawings and prints

One of my newest projects is taking some of my older work, which I feel has Art Nouveau leanings, and reworking the themes into drawings with gouache. These drawings will be turned into prints when the series is complete. Look for upcoming notifications when the print runs are finished (I will send via newsletter) and at the upcoming Brewery ArtWALK in October.

In the studio: Playing with animation

I have also started experimenting with Sakura poster color (for background scenes) and overlays as well as torn paper for animation. I discovered the poster color at the Miyazaki exhibit years ago, since that is what the animators use at Studio Ghibli. The torn paper, silhouette technique is inspired by the great German animator, Lotte Reiniger. I foresee my summer focus being mainly painting and prints, with a return to animation exploration in the fall.

That is all for now. Be on the lookout for upcoming newsletters with studio specials as I get closer to the Brewery Artwalk in October. Thank you as always for being a subscriber and have a fun and safe July!

Giving thanks ☆

ArtWalk was fantastic!

For starters, I’d love to thank all of those who could attend Fall ArtWalk. It was a huge success with 13,000 attendees over the two days! I rotated “shows” each day plus added my new video + cutout pieces and loved the conversations I had around the work. So much valuable insight.

Group show at ArtBar LA

I’m also very thankful that I live in a very vibrant city and am surrounded by a ton of talented creatives. I was asked to be a part of a group show in Venice at the ArtBar LA, which features some stellar Los Angeles talent. This show will be up through January. So if you are in the LA area, check it out!

ARTBAR LA PRESENTS- HIVE

Season of Giving

To celebrate the holidays, I am running my annual Holiday Merch sale. Cards, prints, gift tags and stickers. My Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts will also run until December 15th.

Lastly, I am thankful to all of you for being supporters and subscribers! I have put a lot more focus on my website, blog and mailing list content this year and would like to continue to do so. In the land of social media outreach, I am loving going “back to basics” and launching more content from my platform. Always feel free to share my website, mailer and subscribe page since I strongly believe in the more the merrier!

Have a safe and joyous holiday season!

Countdown to....

ArtWalk is only 3 Weeks away! Here’s a sneak peak of what I will be showing plus new designs I’ve been concocting.

Wall of “Smalls”

Small works, under $300

There will be an entire wall dedicated to small paintings and works on paper that are under $300. This is a really affordable way to gift a unique piece, or even purchase for yourself! This is primarily an “ArtWALK special” but I will open these up to online sales after the event.

New Design Alert! ColorFabz

These are new designs that will be in beta-test mode for ArtWalk. I spend a good amount of time in Mammoth Lakes (Summer and Winter) and am constantly inspired by the gorgeous landscape. ColorFabz are line art that come with sticker packs, so you can color and create your own scene. They will be $10 for 3 pages plus stickers and pre-packaged. I see them being great as gift and/or for parties.

Paintings, Cut-outs, Projection

Some new paintings and cut-outs will be on display plus I’ve been experimenting video interaction (particularly with the cut-outs) These works primarily deal with the idea of perception and the “lens” through which we view things.

Holiday Cards

Can’t forget the Fat Cat holiday cards!! I will have a wide array of cards, stickers and tags that can make your gift giving sassy and unique. All will be in the $5-$10 (ArtWALK special) range and pre-packaged for easy carry out.

So mark your calendars for November 5th and 6th. You can also click on BREWERY ARTWALK to get all the important details about parking, food plus maps. I look forward to seeing those who can attend!!

Summer Studio + Fall ArtWALK dates

Heat wave creations…

There have been heat waves everywhere, especially in the desert city of Los Angeles! Luckily, my studio stays wayyyy cool so I can keep busy. I have a myriad of new paintings, cutouts, video and animations in the works. Also, I finally “bit the bullet” and purchased a projector. This way, I can test my paintings mixed with video in real time. It has been excellent to see my ideas come to fruition, so I am planning a special “screening” for the upcoming ArtWALK (fingers crossed!).

Underpainting, new works. August 2022

Testing a projected video on canvas, August 2022

Another progress shot, August 2022

Speaking of ArtWALK, the dates have been set for November 5th and 6th. Mark your calendars! This will technically be very close to holiday shopping dates, so I will be sure to have a multitude of “gift ready” options in my space. I know that many of my neighbors will do the same, so spread the word. The brewery is an excellent place to find one-of-a-kind gifts.

I like to share my process and/or inspiration when possible, so for this post I want to give a shout out to one of the best audiobooks I have streamed while working. I listen to stories while I paint, draw, etc. since I found many years ago that music distracted me in a negative way. Growing up I was an avid reader (a novel per week or more) and since I don’t technically have much time to read anymore, audiobooks have been a great substitute. I consider myself a bit of an audiobook connoisseur, and “Deacon King Kong” by James McBride is currently at the top of my list. Amazing author, excellent choice for narrator. If you still need a summer read, I highly recommend it!

.

That is all for now! I will be continuing to update mid-month leading up to ArtWALK. I’m attaching a subscription block below so feel free to forward to anyone who might be interested. Cheers :)

June Updates from the Studio

Summer is officially HERE!

Why do I love summer you may ask? Well, I was born in the summer (shout out to June babies!). I also tend to get way more time for the activities I love, such as swimming, hiking, camping AND creating art (best part). Since I adore this time of year so much, I launched a special card and sticker pack in my web store, using my flamingo floatie design that was very popular during artWALK.

I grew up with Color Forms, so I’ve always loved the idea of customizing a graphic with stickers. The flamingo card with accompanying stickers was designed with Color Forms in mind. The set is pictured below so you can easily find it in the shop. You can also click on the image to directly navigate to the store.

Flamingo card (set of 3) with a matching sticker set.

I also want to take this opportunity to share the wonderful artWALK write up in Art and Cake LA that gave a very nice shout out to my work and studio space. I am a self proclaimed work-a-holic, which makes it difficult to find balance, but I feel it really pays off when I present a solid body of work that my audience truly enjoys.

Art and Cake LA: Article

That is all for now! Cheers to summer and that extra time to play and create :)

ArtWALK re-cap + looking ahead to summer....

Hard to believe that it has been a little over a month since ArtWALK! I want to start off by expressing my tremendous gratitude for those who could make it out. The studio doors had been proverbially closed for two years at the Brewery Artist Lofts, and to say that the residents were nervous to open and show their work after all that time, is an understatement. Needless to say, the event brought much of the life and “soul” back to the Brewery.

Installation View_Front Room

Brewery ArtWALK: Spring 2022

Installation View_Mixed Media Drawing

Brewery ArtWALK: Spring 2022

As some of you may know, this was my first time showing in my studio/loft since I moved back to the Brewery last August. I was amazed at the turn out, pleased how I was able to curate in my new surroundings, and loved the insightful conversations I had with so many of you. I had decided to show some older series with newer, more experimental works, and because it was so well received, have some wonderful plans for new work this year!

Part of this new direction, is to re-design my website and send monthly newsletters with updates from my studio, upcoming events, shows, new designs in my web store, content added to my YouTube channel as well as potential workshop opportunities. Even if all those items become a bit too ambitious for this year (I like to think big!), I do plan on making my website a larger “hub” for my web presence.

Summer is fast approaching, and I plan on having some new design work as well as promos for June. New paintings are on the docket as well! I have freshly built panels in the workshop that have been unprimed for wayyyy too long….

Feel free to reach out if you have any inquiries or would just like to say hi :) Share the website and/or subscription page with anyone you might feel would be interested. If you are on Instagram, give me a follow @_rocketduck (preview is below). The more the merrier!

Many thanks again for making it out to ArtWalk and welcome to the new melissadyanne.com!