Miss Mellie ~a first-person visit with a gentle artist and vibrant soul

Hi! Thank you for coming to our CaaT team blog. I am a long time member of the CaaT team! My name is Melanie – and I have always loved my name, and loved my namesake – Miss Mellie from Gone With The Wind. I would like to be as sweet and innocent and kind and accepting as she was, but I’m afraid I’m a little more human than that.

How would I describe myself?

In no particular order, I am...

~A wife

~A Mother

~An Artist

~M.E./CFS and Dysautonomia sufferer

~A follower of Jesus

~An Author

~A book-aholic

~An art Collector

~A Tea-aholic and Reviewer

~Friendly… Spunky… and Fun-Loving!

Bill and I have been married since 1984. We have 3 grown children, each of whom have their own unique artistic talents.

I consider myself a self-taught artists, though I have taken workshops, and studied many art techniques through DVD's and online. My favorite workshop was with Ron Ranson, a well known watercolorist who incorporates impressionistic technique with asian technique.

I love to paint with watercolors. The movement and dance that occurs between the pigment and water along with the unpredictable results are fascinating to me. Every painting I sit down to do is an adventure!

I have titled my art shops and website “The Creators Palette”. My goal is to share my love for, and awe in, the creation of beauty. I feel the best art touches my heart and makes me “feel”. The feeling may be joyous, peaceful, or even sad (one of my favorite art pieces makes me cry). Most of all, I want to convey a feeling of wonder and draw the viewer closer to the creator of all beauty.

I have always been a creative person, but it wasn’t until fairly recently that I began to paint in watercolor and sell my art. I was a very active person most of my life and my artistic/creative outlets fell in areas like competitive diving and gymnastics, garden design and most recently, developing and teaching a preschool dance program at Vancouver’s Columbia Dance. I am a published author, and I have also been asked many times to speak at women’s retreats and conferences which I enjoy very much and put a lot of artistic effort into my presentations.

All of that changed in Dec. 2001. During our annual run of The Nutcracker ballet, I came down with a severe virus that has developed into M. E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis)/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). I also have Partial Dysautonomia which means my Autonomic Nervous system is damaged and causes something called POTS, and Gastroparesis (among many other bothersome symptoms).

By June of 2003 I was barely holding on, teaching dance from a chair. I knew then that I had to quit. Thankfully, a wonderful new teacher came along and the program that I had started has more than blossomed under her direction. But I was left unable to do anything I had been doing the past 15 years of my life!

Anxious that illness would not ruin my life, I began looking for things that I could spend my time doing. Being stuck most hours in a recliner is difficult, but I am thankful that it has brought me to a point of developing new artistic endeavors.

I remain a very friendly, yet spunky and a fun-loving person. Sometimes I feel like I am a butterfly all wrapped up in a cocoon – struggling to let my wings spread and fly! This is why, when my husband lost his parents, he spent a portion of the inheritance they left him, on a convertible Miata for me! It’s my “flying” time. When I can get out in it, my soul soars. I drive with the top down whenever possible – and have even driven through a sudden downpour (laughing all the way), and in light snow (it felt like I was skiing).

I have many places online that you can visit me.

~I have a shop on Etsy call “The Creators Palette”.

~I try to blog regularly - about life, art, books, tea and I even offer occasional giveaways. You can also subscribe to my BLOG and have it delivered directly to your email if you like!

~I have a WEBSITE where you can see and purchase my newest paintings, and you can also purchase prints, framed prints, canvas prints and notecards! Since my website is new, I’m offering 20% OFF to my first 10 customers! Use code XUUTHP at checkout.

I have a Facebook fan page, and invite you all to come and visit and “like” it.

I also use twitter and you can follow me if you like

Thank you for dropping by to meet me!

~Melanie