MelissaMandegarianPleinAir2

Bay Area native, Melissa Mandegarian, is a landscape and figurative artist and graphic designer.

 

Having always known she needed her career to utilize her creativity, she minored in Studio Art while earning her degree in Graphic Arts Production at San Jose State University. After working full-time as a Graphic Designer for many years, she became a stay-at-home mom and took up painting again as a creative escape.

 

Melissa paints in a timeless representational style, often from photos of her travels from both home and abroad but also enjoys painting en plein air. In the studio, Melissa typically starts with an underpainting to establish the tonal values; this unifies the whole painting while adding a vibrancy when it peeks through the colors added above it. She also enjoys adding texture and drama to paintings by utilizing palette knives and a variety of brush work in her technique. Images that attract her the most to paint are scenes that have interesting light – from reflections on water to dramatic effects from late day sunlight.

Current Galleries/Events

May 6-7 10am-5pm – Tri Valley Open Studio Tour – Bothwell Art Center – 2466 8th Street, Livermore, CA, 94550

Lark San Carlos – 641 Laurel Street, San Carlos, CA 

Exhibits / Events

2023 “Auction for the SF-Marin Food Bank” – Studio Gallery – 1641 Pacific Ave, San Francisco, CA
2022 “tiny + HUGE” – Studio Gallery – 1641 Pacific Ave, San Francisco, CA
2022 ArtWalk – Downtown Livermore
2022 “Essential Figure” – People's Choice award – Livermore Art Association
2022 “Spring Art Show” – 2nd Place ribbon for oil, 3rd Place ribbon for gouache – Livermore Art Association
2021 “Double Take: Art & Literature Side by Side” – Bankhead Theater Gallery
2021 Tri Valley Artists Studio Tour
2021 “Essential Figure” – People's Choice award – Livermore Art Association
2021 “The Late Spring Art Show” – 1st Place ribbon for oil – Livermore Art Association
2021 “Take Me There: Travel the World Through Art and Photography” – Bankhead Theater Gallery
2020 Society of West-Coast Artists bi-monthly competition – 3rd Place ribbon
2019 “Annual Show” – 2nd Best of Show, 1st Place ribbon for water scene, 2nd & 3rd ribbons for figures – Sequoia Art Group
2019 “Women's View” – Caldwell Gallery
2018 “The Human Form” – Honorable Mention – Pacific Art League juried art competition
2018 “Women's View” – Caldwell Gallery
2017 “UArt Open” – Finalist in juried art competition – University Art

Education

San Jose State University – BA Graphic Arts Production, minor in Studio Art 

 

Continuing studies with artists Ray Mendieta, Noah Buchanon, Aina Clotas