The artworks below are currently on display at Artisan Hair and Nail Studio in Fitchburg, MA.
Melissa Richard — Artist’s Statement & Biography
Studio: Amherst, NH
Born: Lowell, MA | 1978
Artistʼs Biography
Melissa Richard is a mixed media artist and painter working out of a studio space in Amherst, NH she has named The Girl From Mars. Melissa’s work is often abstract and heavy with intriguing imagery, bold color, and rich texture. Thoughtful and deeply emotional, her pieces carry notes of sadness, even a subtle dark undertone at times; all the while remaining bright with hope and wonder. It is this juxtaposition created by the artist that makes her work so introspective and keeps the viewer coming back. This dichotomy of mood in Melissa’s work reflects the complexity of relationships, search for self-identity, and the messiness of life that are common themes in her art. As an artist, it is important to Melissa that viewers have their own unique emotional journey through her work; seeing their own story in the narratives of her collage work and their own feelings reflected in the colors and brushwork of her larger abstract paintings.
In Peace
Artist’s Statement
The work created for this show was born out of my searching for a way to process a lot of things during a very difficult period in my life. At the start of 2020 not only had the world been hit with a global pandemic, but I was fresh out of the hospital from a severe depressive episode. I found myself facing some really complex issues in my life. Creating the work for this show allowed me a way to reflect on, process, and let go of a lot of difficult emotions and got me through a particularly turbulent time.
That being said, I feel that these works hold much hope. They are very literally a representation of my personal search for light, resolution, and inner peace. It is my hope that in sharing them I can pass along that strength and peace of mind that I gained through the time I created these works.
