students working in Melissa's studio

student working in Melissa's studio

student work

workshop participants

student work

student working in Melissa's studio

student work

student working in Melissa's studio

student work

I teach workshops at my studio in Hurley NY and at stores throughout the US on a request basis. I am also willing to travel to your area if there are enough folks interested. Contact me regarding the number of students required to cover the costs in your area. It will be less if within my driving distance and more if airfare, hotel and car rental are involved. I hold a BFA and MFA in Painting and was awarded a Fulbright grant to study painting in Paris. I combine my ability to teach technical skills with my background as a professional psychic and my studies in metaphysics.

Check my events/appearances/teaching area on my website for the next opportunity to take a workshop.

I love teaching expressive drawing and painting and have been teaching for many years in spiritual centers as well as privately since 1990. My intention is to help you to be able to access what it is that you would like or need to express for your own personal development and to find your own unique language to express that two dimensionally. In a safe and nurturing atmosphere we will use meditation, visualization, shamanic journeying, and music to go within and discover what would like to emerge. We will acknowledge emotions, colors, or shapes that beckon. You are also invited to work with recurring dream images to open to the wisdom presiding there. I realize that fears may arise. In my experience here are some of the fears:

• Feeling blocked
• Tendencies toward perfectionism
• Lack of technical skill
• Fear of going within due to what we may discover there
• Fear of being "seen"

Don't worry. You will be in a safe place to explore.

No, you don't need experience to take a workshop. I am used to working with folks with all areas of experience from none at all to those with an art degree from Yale. We are all in this together to provide a comfy atmosphere to discover with no judgements. I have a strong classical background and can help you develop your technique if that is your interest. I also have the ability to help you work from your head and discover your own technique.


MATERIALS:
If you are already working artistically with a particular medium, you may bring that and work in that medium. I have some oil pastels and paper here if you are not sure if this is for you and don't want to make the financial investment to buy supplies. My suggestions are oil pastels, (these can be the inexpensive craypas, which are like oily crayons), acrylic paints, watercolors, or soft pastel. Materials are not that critical. You are welcome to call or email and discuss with me.


The following are some questions that were asked of me during a radio interview in 2005. I was asked about the healing effects that making art can have on us.

ARTMAKING IS HEALING FOR ANYONE BECAUSE: It allows one to go into sort of meditative trance space whereby thoughts, emotions, ideas can most easily surface. Once identified, they are "brought to light" I like to say. Then one can give form to these intuitive insights releasing the inner light of the soul. Sometimes I find myself remembering something that seems irrelevant; however, if I then ask "what relation does this memory have to any current situation", I might find a link that then allows me to understand something better. Similar to working with dreams to get answers to problems

CONFIDENCE: I would say that this is one of the most important ways that artmaking can be healing. One will inevitably become frustrated but confidence comes in learning that we can face our fears and blocks and work through them. One becomes adept at discerning what is important to them by identifying subject matter and manner of expression.

EXPOSURE: Is a place where growth comes in. In expressing our selves in paint or drawing materials we give ourselves an arena to expose ourselves in.

ANGER AND DEPRESSION: can be lifted by using this part of the brain, accessing feelings and opening the heart.

SELF ACCEPTANCE: comes by way of being able to "be with" a piece of work that didn't come out the way we planned. We learn not to be a perfectionist. When I am accepting of myself, everything is working more smoothly. I am relaxed and at peace.

Doing artwork allows a different part of brain muscle to be flexed which for my being is healing. I get grouchy if I don't use this muscle often enough. I hear this from almost every other artist I speak with. Doing my artwork has a calming and relaxing effect on the mind and body, thus strengthening the will to heal. It opens the heart.

Informal discussions of our artwork with one another: help one get comfortable with the fact that we will not always create something beautiful or to our satisfaction. We come to understand that that is not so bad as we feared. The reviews and exposure help one find where their strengths lie, thereby increasing confidence. Everyone has strengths. Perhaps it is in being able to access images, or using color well, or having a nice loose expressive hand.

BLOCKS: learning to work through blocks also promotes self confidence which can be applied to blocks in other areas of life.

DISCIPLINE: is necessary if one's goal is to integrate art-making on a regular basis in one's life. Finding our discipline here can help us to carry it over to all areas of life.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE: For example, one becomes attuned to times of day wheN one is most creative and learns to use that time (hopefully) where creative thought is needed either in artmaking or decision making.

COLOR: makes people happy. ;-)

SEE YOU IN CLASS !!!!

Testimonials

"I feel honored to have learned from you. You are a patient woman with many feminine gifts. I had no great expectations and was so pleased with what I walked away with. You taught me how to meditate and journey. You gave me a new way to express myself. It was refreshing to celebrate, share, embrace and explore the feminine with you as a guide. There could be no better teacher so... for you an apple. A strong symbol of the feminine, as well as the traditional gift for a wonderful teacher. Thanks, again!!"

"Melissa's class offers a perfect combination of what I want: the opportunity to improve my drawing skills and learn new painting techniques as well as the opportunity to get lost in the painting process and not have to worry about any of that... In short Melissa is an excellent teacher with an intuitive and unique teaching style. I really can't say enough good things about her. This woman has helped me to see myself as an artist and that has changed my life."

"Dear Melissa,

Thank you so much for a wonderful workshop!!! Your work space is so inspiring, light, airy. I loved just looking around the room at your paintings. We all had/have in common love of your work. You made the day magical with the circle and altar and guided meditation. I felt love for every woman in the room and realized we have so much in common. Sharing dreams--and painting our hearts out-- feels wonderful. I had no confidence and felt a lot of tension standing before a blank white canvas. You helped me get out of myself and just enjoy the process. You're a natural teacher, and I'm very grateful for the time together. You made me feel like flying at the end of the day, I felt so happy hearing your feedback."