‘Conejos Ranch Sunset’ pastel, by Melissa Bartlett. Courtesy photo
‘Nile Memories’ by Pat Walls. Courtesy photo
COMMUNITY News:
Searching for that perfect gift? Two of Los Alamos’ leading artists – Melissa Bartlett and Pat Walls – are having a show the weekend of Dec. 9-10. It will be an open house 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Walls’ home, 1825 Corona St.
Bartlett has worked in acrylics and pastels professionally for more than 30 years, and is known for her vibrant and intense colors.
“I try to capture the subtle effects of light and color of the New Mexico landscape, animals and flowers,” Bartlett said. “My style is impressionistic and I attempt to evoke an emotional response rather than strive for photographic realism.”
Bartlett is an Associate Member of the Pastel Society of America and has also won national awards and has been juried into many prestigious shows. During COVID she started playing with alcohol based inks and has enjoyed the crazy colors and challenges of that medium. It’s a medium which she admits, “has a mind of it’s own! But sometimes those happy accidents turn out fabulous.”
She is also known for her wonderful animal portraits and gets commissions from all over the USA.
“I LOVE doing animals,” Bartlet said. “They have such great expressions and character! Besides, all that fur looks fabulous in pastels.”
She views all art as a learning process, and enjoys utilizing creative accidents when they happen.
“There is so much joy to be found in the act of painting”, Bartlett said. “To look at the world with an artist’s eye, is to see beauty everywhere—from the huge dramatic rock formations of the canyons to the light a simple bowl of shells.”
Melissa lives with her husband, Bill Priedhorsky, and two Australian Shepherds. To see more of her work, go to her website at www.melissabartlett.com.
Walls moved to Los Alamos from California in 1986 with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art and a Master’s degree in Crafts. A creative and inspiring teacher, she has taught art in the local schools for many years. As a professional artist, Walls works in oils, pastels, and acrylics, fiber sculptures, and mono prints. She has been represented in galleries from Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque to New York City.
“Living in New Mexico and hiking in Utah and Colorado has given direction to my art,” Walls said. “The intensity of the light in the Southwest and the dramatic landscapes both inspire and restore me.”
A recent trip to Egypt inspired Walls’ latest fiber piece which was influenced by the beautiful colors and hieroglyphic designs of that region. Her current challenge is creating abstract acrylic paintings.
“With the arrival of COVID I decided to learn something new and took a 6 week abstract painting class by Louise Fletcher online,” Walls said. “Abstraction is much more challenging than my landscape painting and fiber sculptures because it requires me to trust my inner voice rather than rely on a scene or a photograph or a sketch.”
Please drop by for refreshments and live music and enjoy viewing the latest works by Bartlett and Walls.
