ABOUT MELISSA

Melissa Herrington is a contemporary abstract artist currently living and working in Los Angeles, California. She has called Southern California home since 2005 where she received her MFA from Otis College of Art and Design. Prior to that, she spent most of her early career in Atlanta, Georgia and has a BFA from Florida State University. She has exhibited both nationally and internationally. Her works are represented by multiple prestigious galleries.

ABOUT PROCESS

My aim is to create abstract paintings that are contemplative and evocative. The organic quality of my textured marks lends an ephemeral feeling, images imply fluidity. This “unfinished” surface represents an unfolding of possibility. I use the transparent stains and the opaqueness of color. My work examines the theme of transformation.

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ABOUT INSPIRATION

In the studio I work on many pieces at once and so my studio wall is always full of paintings. The works are constantly shifted around, being placed and reordered. I see this wall as an developing story, a set of possibilities.

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My paintings are representative of my path, which is inspired by adventure and independence, and my love of color and texture. For me travel is a major catalyst for my evolving themes and artistic practice. I am exploring spontaneous, gestural marks and subtle female forms through abstraction. In all my works color and shape are both organic and intuitive and feminine.

Exhibitions

2016 // Solo Show, Ireland,

Chicago Art Source, Chicago, Illinois

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2016 // Solo Show, Soren Christensen Gallery,

New Orleans, Louisiana

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2104 // Solo Exhibition, Daughter of the Wind,

Los Angeles, California

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2013 // Solo Show, And the Flame Stitches that Empty Chasm Shut, Gallery DeNovo, Sun Valley, Idaho

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2012 // Solo Show, Ashes To Honey, M Herrington Gallery,

Los Angeles, California

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2012 // Solo Show, Reveille, Soren Christensen Gallery,

New Orleans, Louisiana

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2010 //  Solo Show, HANDless, Gallery DeNovo,

Sun Valley, Idaho

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2010 // Veiled Vision, Gallery DeNovo, ArtChicago, Chicago, Illinois

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2009 // Solo Show, Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, Soren Christensen Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana

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2008 // Solo Show, Lighght, Gallery DeNovo,

Sun Valley, Idaho

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2008 // Solo Show, Echoes of Sight, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, California

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2007 // Solo Show, New Paintings, Fay Gold Gallery,

Atlanta, Georgia

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2007 // Shadow Memories, Gallery DeNovo,

Sun Valley, Idaho

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2006 // Solo Show, Soul Sessions, Gallery DeNovo, Sun Valley, Idaho

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2005 // Solo Show, Long Shadows, Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta

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2004 // Gifts of Passage, Gallery DeNovo,

Sun Valley, Idaho

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2004 // Solo Show, Travel Stains, Association for Visual Artist, Chattanooga, Tennessee

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2004 // Solo Show, Sleep Stories With Separate Spheres,

Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia

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2002 // Solo Show, Budapest and Beyond, ArtFarm,

Atlanta, Georgia

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2002 // Solo Show, New Works, Delta Technology Center, Atlanta, Georgia

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Curriculum Vitae

Present- 2002   Artist // Melissa Herrington Art

Professional Full Time Artist

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2012   M. Herrington Gallery, Venice CA,

Owner/Director

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1997-2002  Vermilion Art Gallery, Atlanta, GA

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1997- Internship // Museum of Fine Arts, Florida    

State University, Tallahassee Florida

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1996- Internship // Museum of Fine Arts, Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa, Florida

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Artist in Residency

2016 Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts, Rabun Gap, Georgia

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2015 Cill Rialaig Residency, County Kerry Ireland

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2012 LaSallian International Residency,

Tuscany, Italy

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2010 CAMAC, Marnay sur Seine, France

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2009 Sandberg Institute Fellowship,

Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam, Holland

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2006 Idyllwild center for the Arts, Paintings Edge Residency, Idyllwild, California

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2014-2001 Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts, Rabun Gap, Georgia

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2002 Hungarian Multicultural Center, Budapest, Hungary

Education

2008, Otis College of Art and Design

Los Angeles, California MFA Studio Art

 

1997, Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida BFA Studio Art

Honors, Minor in Art History

Bibliography

2015 Anthropologie Feature

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2013 Wall Street Journal March 8, 2013

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2010 HANDless, Review Katie Schultz August

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2010 The Yellow House, Book Cover author Robin Behn

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2008 Where are the women? Review: Sabina Dana Plasse August 13, 2008

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2005 Atlanta Journal Constitution, Review: Jerry Cullum L-3 April 17, 2005

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2004 Chattanooga Times, Review: Ann Nichols D-6 September 19, 2004

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2004 Atlanta Magazine pg 107 May 2004