The Santa Clarita Artists’ Association (SCAA) June 15, 2009 meeting will feature Meli Calkins on the subject of soft pastels, demonstrating a seascape or landscape, at 7 p.m. at Westfield Town Center.
“I want my soft pastel paintings to bring me back to that place where I or my friends feel as if all they have to do is just walk right into the painting and they are there experiencing all over again that captured moment; be it the power and grace of a running horse, the feel and taste of a tangelo or the beauty of the California central coast during spring time.”
Why soft pastels? In her own words Meli states: “I love the brilliance and intensity of color that pastels are able to display. Being able to lay and mix the colors directly on sanded paper is more appealing to me than mixing colors on a pallet.” Her work can be viewed on her website at www.melicalkins.com or at www.vcartfarm.com .
Meli Calkins has been painting with soft pastels for the past 30-plus years. Her mother was a commercial artist and taught Meli how to observe what she saw in her world and would interpret it with drawing and paintings on paper and canvas. While pursuing a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Meli was able to squeeze a few fine art classes while receiving tutoring from her mother. Of all the types of media that she worked with, her first love was and always has been painting with soft pastels. Most of her paintings are in private collection. Three of her works are published in The 2nd Art Edition International Contemporary Masters 2009, a fine art book released in 2009, published by Curator Despina Tunberg and available at http://www.omma.us .
The Santa Clarita Artists’ Association monthly meetings are held at the Westfield Town Center Community Room, between JC Penney and the Food Court and are instructive and inspirational. Non-members are graciously welcomed and may attend the first meeting for free.
For additional information, please visit www.santaclaritaartists.org .