‘Emma’ by Melissa Bartlett. Courtesy image

‘Emergence’ by Melissa Bartlett. Courtesy image

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

Local Artist Melissa Bartlett has kept busy with her paintings and she is sharing her work throughout the U.S.

Bartlett entered her artwork in a number of national art shows and six of her paintings were accepted into the following art competitions: Great Lakes Pastel Society, Allied Artists of America, Central Massachusetts Pastel Society, National Association of Women Artists and the Pastel Society of the West Coast.

All of these shows are being presented online, which streamlined the entry process, Bartlett said. Typically, she would email an image of the painting to the show’s jurors and if accepted, the physical painting would be shipped to the show to be hung. Any painting that doesn’t sell would need to mailed back.

“This year I discovered many shows are virtual … which makes entering a lot easier,” Bartlett said.

Since the shows are all digital, Bartlett said she doesn’t need to have mail any physical paintings.

While unsure if she won any prizes in the shows, Bartlett said she is just happy for the opportunity to show her work.

“To get into juried shows on the national level is a big deal and I’m just thrilled I got in,” Bartlett said. Plus, “It’s been fun to show my paintings off to people across the country.”

There is a lot of competition to get into these shows, Bartlett said. A show can get thousands of entries and only a couple hundred will be accepted.

For her entries, Bartlett said she chose unique pieces. A portrait of a friend’s dog, hippos playing, cherries, a swan swimming, a hunting dog in the field and even painting of a lobster were selected for the shows.

“I really make an effort to get unusual paintings to these shows,” she said. “I tried to provide excellent paintings with unique subjects.”

The pandemic and the subsequent economic downturn have made times tough for artists.

To help reignite the creative spark, Bartlett said there are online workshops for artists. Personally, Bartlett said she and a group of friends formed an online group called Pandemic Painting Pals. They select a photo for everyone to paint and then hold Zoom meetings to show and discuss their work.

“It’s so interesting and fun to see what people come up with,” Bartlett said. “They all have such different styles and are so creative.”

Bartlett is a life-long artist.

“My earliest memory is drawing a dog when I was three,” she said. “I’ve always done art. I’ve never let it drop.”

Bartlett calls art her first love and her second career. She worked as an occupational therapist in the Los Alamos Public Schools for many years.

She said she mostly works with pastels and acrylics but has dabbled in other mediums. Bartlett enjoys painting animal portraits; particularly dogs, cats and horses but has also painted a turtle.  Inspired by a trip to Africa, she captured elephants, hippos, zebras and other animals in pastel.

She added she has also sold a lot of landscapes, particularly New Mexico scenery. What attracts her to any particular subject, Bartlett said, is the play of light, composition and colors.

Bartlett’s work has been shown locally; her work hung in the Karen Wray Gallery. Bartlett said she also taught classes at the Karen Wray Gallery and has participated in local art studio tours. For further information check out her Facebook page, Melissa Bartlett’s Artwork, and her website melissabartlett.com.