Meet Melanie Anderson | Teaching Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melanie Anderson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melanie, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I’ve always worked in a creative profession, first as an advertising director after college, and then as a high school art teacher and professional working artist for the past 22 years so the balance of work and life has evolved over time for me. My husband and my son, who lives and works in LA, are both creatives so my home environment is conducive to creativity which is awesome. I am fortunate because the people who are closest to me understand the demands of an artistic lifestyle. When my son was young I made sure that I carved out a little time and space for painting each week. Now that I’m an empty nester I have a lot more time to create. I paint most every day either in my home studio or in my classroom studio space. I’m a bit of a workaholic and so is my husband so I’m not sure that I have managed a work life balance but it works for me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The work that I am most recognized for are bright colored pet portraits. I have been creating portraits of furry friends for 20 years and I’m still excited every time I’m commissioned. The pet portraits I create are done mostly in acrylic using bright, saturated color. My work can be found in the homes of collectors all over the country. There’s nothing more fun for me than capturing the spirit of a happy dog on my canvas!

I work on a commission basis and do portraits of people, florals and other odd subjects as well. I work in a number of mediums including watercolor, gouache, acrylic, oil, colored pencil, pastel, charcoal, graphite, printmaking, and ceramic. I use a good deal of mixed media and find that switching it up keeps my work fresh. As an art teacher I must be a master of a number of materials, and I strive to be on the cutting edge of new mediums, techniques and ideas. In the past year I’ve been asked to paint a variety of items including a taxidermized fish, a tabletop, a wall mural, a sculpture and a series of botanical prints to name a few.

I am currently exploring how watercolor works on non-conventional substrates such as wood and canvas. I’m currently creating a series of animal paintings using a loose wet-in-wet approach which is different from my normal more tight painting style. I’m having so much fun with this series!

My artistic journey has been one with lots of twists and turns. I’ve worked with so many amazing people over the years who have all taught me valuable lessons and helped shape me as an artist. I feel so blessed to be able to make the art I want to make and to get to share my passion with young people, and hopefully, make a positive difference it their lives.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had the opportunity to introduce my part of the world to a friend it would be a busy week indeed! Memphis and the surrounding area has so much to offer. Our itinerary would include art, music, dining, shopping, site seeing and nature. Spots that would be on the itinerary would include:

Art: Memphis Brooks Museum, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, and local galleries showcasing local art

Music: Lafayette’s Music Room, BB Kings, Local outdoor venues such as GPAC, Live at the Garden and the Overton Shell

Dining: Tsunami, The Beauty Shop, Coastal, Southern Social, Bog and Barley, Earling Jensens, Acre

Shopping: Saddle Creek, Broad Ave., Cooper Young, local gift and consignment shops

Site seeing: Graceland, Beale Street, The Zoo, The Riverfront

Nature: Shelby Farms, Overton Park, The Wolf River Greenway, Shelby Forest

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My journey as an artist started when I was a child. I was introduced to art materials as a little girl by my grandmother who was a talented artist and seamstress. My parents saw potential and encouraged me by enrolling me in Saturday School art lessons at Memphis College of Art. My mom was my Girl Scout leader and we had a very active troop. My mom made sure we were exposed to a variety of creative opportunities in scouts. We learned everything from leathercrafting, ceramics, candle making, drawing and painting, etc. in our pursuit of earning badges. These early experiences gave me the confidence to try new things and enjoy the process. I won my first art contest in Girl Scouts. I had several teachers who encouraged me to make art. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Murdaugh, introduced me to art history, my third grade teacher, Mrs. Grimes, incorporated a lot of art in her lessons, and my 6th grade teachers Mrs. Pardue and Mrs. Collins were influential in my art experience.

I currently make art with a group of 3 fellow artists on a regular basis. We share ideas and techniques and take art trips together. These ladies inspire me to try new things and be a better artist.

Website: www.melanieanderson.net

Instagram: @melanietanderson

Facebook: Melanie Trout Anderson

Image Credits
Photo Credits: Dana Harris Austin Anderson