MELISSA CRAWFORD
Melissa spends the majority of her artistic time painting commissioned portraits. Examples of her work along with procedures and fees can be seen on her website, www.MelissaCrawfordArt.com. Melissa strives to create portraits that go beyond a mere likeness. She wishes to create a beautiful work of art, admired for its beauty and merit, whether one knows the sitter or not. Melissa has developed quite a following, being commissioned by many local residents, along with clients outside of the area. She is a member of two portrait brokerage agencies from which she is represented across the United States.
Crawford recently took part in a prestigious juried competition put on by the Portrait Society of Atlanta. It was open to artists across the country. Melissa won second place, finishing behind California artist, Tony Pro. The competition was judged by Raymond Kinstler, perhaps America’s most well known living portrait artist. Melissa won with her commissioned portrait of local girl, Julia Curtis, in Julia with Toy Horse. After the competition, Melissa was notified that she was awarded the Society’s Member of Merit Status. The award was based on a critique of Crawford’s work by three nationally known artists, Richard Whitney, Daniel Greene, and Greg Kreutz. She was graded in eleven categories judged on a point system of 1-10 (10 as highest). The average score of the judges had to be between 7.0 and 8.9 to gain Merit Status. Melissa along with five other artists this year gained the special recognition. The Portrait Society of Atlanta has approximately 275 members, 23 of which are Members of Merit, and the most elite group which Melissa hopes to be a part of, are the Members of Excellence, of which there are 4, (scoring between a 9.0 and 10.0). Every two years PSA members are given the opportunity to compete. For more information on the PSA and to see Melissa’s winning painting along with the entire exhibition, see PSA’s website, www.portraitsocietyofatlanta.org.
She enjoys finding a balance in painting subjects beyond her portraits. The response to her paintings by locals at galleries in Carrollton, has been tremendous. Melissa says, “people have really responded to the fact that I’m a local painter, painting what is familiar to them. I’ve had a much better response here than when I was represented in Atlanta; I think because of that connection. And it means a lot more to me that I’ve made a connection, and many times I personally know those who are buying my paintings. I finally have a venue right here at home where people can go to see my work.” Her oil paintings cover a number of themes, as she enjoys painting lots of subjects. You’ll find her paintings of cats, roads, and museums, along with some of her newest paintings of local landscapes and homes, including her series of Dixie Street Paintings. You can also commission a painting of your own home, or a favorite pet. When you see her paintings of cats, you’ll see she has a special place for felines, but she’s not against evoking that same kind of feeling for Fido, the family dog.
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