Mellissa Meeks Biography

Mellissa has been featured in solo and group exhibitions at Legacy Gallery, and Huntsville Art League. . 

She will be represented by Xanadu Art Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ, and will be working closely with Jason Horeis to promote her artwork.  She is a participating artist in their online art studio at www.Xanaduartgallery.com

Mellissa has been juried in to exhibit her artwork with Embler Art Gallery, www.emblerartgallery.com  in the Miami International Airport to begin showing on November 1st, 2011 through January 2012.  She will be working with Jennifer and Seth to promote her artwork in this venue as well as other prospects that could be in their New York and Brazil locations as well.  Will be finalizing the details in late October 2011.

 Her art murals are permanently located at the Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville, AL as part of her project she launched as the Director, for Murals to Promote Community Awareness (MPCA) featured in the Art Calendar Magazine, “Artist’s Making a Difference” November 2008 issue. 

She has participated in several juried art shows for Art on the Square, Athens, AL.  She has completed over 35 commercial and private commissions ranging from illustrations for children’s book, portraits, collage photo drawing, school athletic wear designs, art on furniture, recycled windows, and logo’s.  Donated time, instruction and art materials to recovering cancer patient and family in a celebration art party for being cancer free -  artwork exclusively designed to benefit charities such as:  American Heart Association, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, National Children’s Advocacy Center, Therapy Partner’s, Inc., Huntsville Hospital Children’s Center, Gabrielle’s Foundation, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation and Huntsville Hospital Pediatrics Unit.

She lives and works in Huntsville, AL and retreats to her home art studio after hours to work on several projects in progress.  She lives with her husband, Jeff and two daughters, Brittany and Caitlin.

EDUCATION

Master’s Degree in Business Management, Concentration in Contracts and Acquisition Management, Florida Institute of Technology
BS in Business Administration, Athens State University

Mellissa Meeks Description

ABOUT Mellissa Meeks

Mellissa Meek’s paintings and drawings on paper reflect warmth, spontaneity and hints at a whimsical nature, and provides the viewer with a glimpse of her personality that promotes optimism, joy, hope and playfulness.  The viewer can feel a connection with the realistic portrayal of the subject that she has chosen to capture.  Whether it be  her photography, paintings or drawings.

Her drawings are created with the intent to be as photo-realistic as possible.  Viewers are often in awe of the level of detail.  Whether it is the soft feathers of a bird, the stitches of a baby shoe, a reflection in a lake, or the worn and frayed edges of a blue jean cuff brushing against the shadows of a worn leather boot, she meticulously displays texture that you can almost feel with your eyes and provoke nostalgia of days gone by. 

Meeks is a self-taught artist and her approach has been her keen sense of judgment in being able to scale to fit her subjects in any medium or size, from her art murals on stadium walls ranging from an 8 ft x 14 ft concrete wall, to other general locations – down to 4x6 trading cards.  Her approach is to free-hand her subject; serious contemplation and a focus on the smallest detail, bringing out the most unique elements that promote a personal connection for the viewer.   She experiments with varying degrees of pencil shading techniques to bring out the natural light and reveal darker shadows that really brings the heartbeat to the artwork and creates the realistic depth her students have come to expect as well as admire.

Her most memorable moments is when she works with children who have eye sight impairments, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and recovering from cancer.  Mellissa states, “To watch a child’s face light up as their own unique art ideas come to life and for awhile they are removed from their everyday realities of their sickness or health issues.  They become completely immersed in the magical world of creativity that art provides.  It is a most rewarding experience that cannot have a value placed on it – simply priceless”.

She routinely donates her time and artwork for worthy causes, and believes her art talent is a gift from God and is best used to give back to her community, churches, children, hospitals and non-profit organizations. 

Meeks’ is an incredible teacher – she enjoys working in individual drawing workshops for all levels and all ages.  She works with each artist to develop their strengths, and assisting them in going the next steps to create artwork they can take pride in.  She is often amazed at how much they learn and develop in just a few hours.

Her artwork is timeless in the aspect that it can create a mood of buoyancy and light heartedness in her paintings and a reflective quality in her art drawings that makes you step a little closer to take a second and third look.

Artwork has been donated to charity and several worthy causes in previous years:

Silent Auction to benefit the "Leash for Life" shelter to assist in taking care of the wonderful pets that are sheltered and need food, medical attention and love.

 (Artwork for Recipe Book, donated to Christmas Charities, artwork for t-shirts for Track and Field athletes and fundraisers, logo's/artwork theme for "Grooving for the Cure" American Cancer Society, mural for children's church day care center, Golf Tournament, and numerous mini-workshops for school children). 

Worked together with the Owner, and dance students to create a "Stand-Out" Cityscape and pre-sketched three 8 ft by 12 canvas panels for them to use in their dance recital held at Bob Jones High School 2009.

Donated my time to pre-sketch a 4ft by 6 ft canvas with a "Night Time New York" City Scape for Kennedy Pepper and her family and friends to celebrate her being cancer-free from her last scans in May 2009. 

Artwork was donated to use for designs on notecards to be used in their products to be for sale with proceeds benefiting the children's programs.

Artwork on ceiling tiles creeated by children in an art party for the specific purpose of donating to the Huntsville Hospital and provide children with an art-filled environment in the waiting room.

 

Artwork, 16x20, Acrylic was donated for a silent auction, with proceeds going to the foundation.

I am looking forward to meeting new people and launching new art workshops and participate in art projects in conjunction with non-profit organizations.  

 

Rather Be Painting,

 

Mellissa Meeks