Popping on to share a few shots from the studio lately. Oil paintings and watercolors of the Oakland Redwood forest and Eastern Sierra Mountains.

Went out to paint the poppies at Shell Ridge today. Felt so good to be outside and study the colors from life. Looking forward to doing this again soon!

Day 4 and Day 5 of #pleinairpril Acryla Gouache in a mixed media sketchbook.

#pleinairpril day 1: two studies of the Poppies and Lupine at Shell Ridge on Mt. Diablo. Gouache and colored pencil in a talens art creation sketchbook!

Absolutely ready for Miyazaki to turn into the angry earth spirit in Princess Mononoke to consume AI image generators whole. We. Have. Had. Enough.

Yumyan A commission for @perseuspercy.bsky.social Was an honour to paint him

you know what, I do really love that MySpace Tom is not in fact participating in a hostile government takeover.

little babushcat ✨

The emboldened, rising tide of fascism in the US has me reflecting a lot about the importance of standing up for our marginalized communities in meaningful ways. There is power in unity - we must build our communities, support our neighbors, and stand together.

It lives!! My zine on how to have a go bag is in proofreading and editing stages. So excited to get this out there, assemble it, and start raising funds for folks impacted by the LA fires.

Ursula le Guin, on the accusation that fantasy is an escape from reality

Now more than ever.

Need some inspiration for something you can do today to piss off a billionaire? You too, can remove all Meta apps from your phone! This shot will be the opener or ending of my next video essay on YouTube about leaving Instagram for clarity and creativity

Went hiking in the Redwoods during the pouring rain. The mist felt out of a fantasy world today!

two drafts

What do we call this kind of night? It’s not necessarily inviting yet not completely stark.

If you are feeling overwhelmed right now, focus on how to create. Make a list of your favorite materials and write down why you gravitate towards them. Hone in on what brings you joy when using certain art supplies or instruments can be critical for turning to those instead of scrolling.

mushrooms have some beautiful analogies about community, persistence, and communication that will be important for us to consider in response to our new political reality

Finished some proper documentation of a few recent adventure oil paintings inspired by hikes in Northern California.

#octaviabutler #parableofthesower #booksky

I loved these illustrations in high school. Sad to hear of his passing!

SHARE WIDELY. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS. With mass deportations starting today across the country, it is vitally important - for both citizens and non-citizens - to know your rights. You have the right to remain silent. Assert it. You have the right to a lawyer. Ask for one. (1/3)

Having loads of fun painting mushrooms to keep my spirits up. It’s wild to think about everything underneath the surface of a forest that we can’t see. #nature #oilpainting #landscapepainting

Sagan was a prophet.

If you are struggling with the craving for TikTok or the need to check IG because you’re participating in the boycott, please turn to creativity. Of any kind. Doodle Coloring books Take photos Practice music Sketch Knit or Crochet Learn to sew. Work with your hands Preferably with others.

Everyone is talking about the Parable of the Sower but it is more than a dystopian novel. It is about learning to recognize when things get bad, all we have is each other. Deepen community, practice compassion, don’t expect perfection. Prepare a go bag, and hold your people tight.

Welp, Meta's content moderation policy is about to turn threads into a verifiable dumpster fire so I guess I am starting from scratch again! Hi, I'm Mel and I'm an adventure artist. That means I hike all the time and turn the inspiration I collect thru sketches & photos into paintings