How does she do that?

We’re lucky here at the gallery to spend our days surrounded by a wide variety of intriguing and wonderful paintings. We both agree that one of the most rewarding virtues of owning a gallery is the relationships we get to build with our artists. It’s true that we are like a little family (with one of us usually playing the role of the indulgent father and one of us playing the role of the nagging mother – with role reversal happening on a daily basis!). We spend a lot of time thinking, talking, and communicating with our artistic family members and have developed long-lasting friendships with them.

About two years ago, a charming and fresh-faced artist crossed our path and we were instantly taken not only with her sincerely lovely and honest personality, but also her wonderfully abstract and meaningful paintings. Her name is Melissa Payne Baker and she’s a hot young star at the gallery these days.

This was one of the first paintings we ever received from Melissa…Colorful Reflections in Blue II, 36 x 36”

An early floral...Through the Mist, 12 x 12”

Melissa’s early work with us centered around her strong faith and the motifs of such: angels and crosses rendered barely visible in a background of swirling paint and texture.

One of Melissa’s crosses from an early series

We loved them and apparently so did our clients because they literally flew off the walls. Melissa was heavily influenced by a personal story that involved some sad elements: a child, an illness and a promise to keep the spirit of that courageous child alive. Hence, the subtle but elegant angels and crosses that filled her canvases.

We love how the cross gets a little bit abstracted in this piece…Faith XI, 8 x 8”

Here’s the fun part for us: we get to watch our painters evolve, develop and grow. These days, Melissa’s work has morphed into energetic, heavily textured paintings that are full of movement. She’s working right now in a gorgeous palette that incorporates deep browns, beige, cream and all sorts of shades of blue and we are ga-ga about them. So are our clients, including many designers.

The cross motif is subtle but packs a visual punch.

Angels going abstract, how fabulous is this palette??… Renew, 20 x 20”

Here are some examples of the wonderful art that Melissa is creating these days.

Melissa Payne Baker

This tiny angel literally flew off the wall…Tiny Angel II, 6 x 6”

Melissa painted a series of these for our Grand Affair show and we had fights erupting over them… Gentle, 36 x 36”

We love the muted sophistication of this one…Believe IV, 10 x 10”

Melissa channels her inner abstractist with this dynamite painting we all lust after…Everlasting II, 30 x 48”

Here’s a video where Melissa demonstrates her technique to creating her wonderful, layered canvases:

Did we mention that Melissa is unfailingly professional, polite and works incredibly hard at her craft? And that she has the looks of a blonde bombshell?

Here's Melissa with her equally adorable husband, Rick.

Melissa is a great example of why we Huffingtons so love what we’re doing here at the gallery. Every day is a treat. And every delectable work of art Melissa brings us is a truly a feast for the eyes, heart and soul.

TaTa!

HH