“If you look closely, what do you see… is it magic?”
How do we experience reality.
A room, the studio, sunlight light hitting a door, that falls in a specific way for just a few weeks in the year, my kids absorbed in a game, quietly, in a reality beyond our sight. Fireflies, stars or just specks of dust catching light, a magic key to those that believe, the painting resting on the table that I made last summer casts a reflection that takes me back to my favorite place on Earth, the reflection, the memories remind me more of the sea air than the image itself. My son’s drawing on his easel made during lockdown tells the story of a boat that dreamt to fly to the moon and one day a storm came and made it’s dream come true.
“If you look closer”, Oil on copper, 100 x 75 cm, 2020
There is writing etched in the copper, written in reverse, that can be read through a mirror. It reads ‘What do you see?‘ ‘Is it magic?’
The way we see things and perceive reality.
What is real, is it what you see, feel, remember, believe, is it magical or just a deep understanding or connection with something or someone.
Visually, it is light, color and design that draw me to a subject. Conceptually, time, energy and Spirit hold my curiosity.
There is a fine balance between technique and idea. When they work harmoniously, great works are achieved. With that in mind, as a young artist, I am always challenging myself.
I find my inspiration in the relationships with people and places around me. Travel plays an important role in my work. With my husband, artist, Ramiro, we often travel between Europe, Venezuela and USA. I remain fascinated in front of these different cultures and environments. Although the scenery changes, I always find a common thread of inspiration.
I am constantly looking to capture the spirit of my subject, its essence. Sometimes purposely overlooking its physical reality. Not recording the physical shape of a tree but instead trying to interpret the feeling of the wind blowing through its leaves and stirring its branches. In my figurative work, I aim to capture the personality and the feelings of the model not just a likeness. Working always from life, my paintings then become a biography of my subject.
I am often influenced by my life-long relationship with theatre and dance. I am fascinated by the idea of appearance and reality. As in theater, performers present themselves in many guises, and yet, the real nature of the artist will always be apparent. In painting, we have a medium that allows us to express our greatest visions and, however far from our reality, they will always be a reflection of ourselves.
I am naturally drawn to aspects of life that transcend time, Moments that could have been yesterday, today or perhaps tomorrow. By observing nature, our environment and how we respond to it, we can understand ourselves better and find a greater meaning in our lives. I would like to offer my audience a window into a world that is around us but we don’t always take the time to notice. Sometimes we need to see things from a distance, abstract from our daily life, to appreciate their value.
Light, time, emotion are always inspirational to me, whether painting the ever changing landscape or a quiet interior. Searching for the essence of my subject that goes beyond it’s visual reality.
Working directly from nature and from memory, I am always trying to capture my experience or relationship with my subject. I am fascinated with working on copper and other metal surfaces that give a beautiful warmth and luminosity. With their endless possibilities, I am always rediscovering and pushing myself technically. My family life and travels, continue to be inspiration from my work.
This painting was a part of a body of work created during lockdown. It has just been a part of the exhibition ‘Compte Rendu’ at Grenning gallery.
Melissa Franklin Sanchez was born in 1984, in Warwickshire, England. In 2002 she graduated from her humanistic studies: Art, Music, English Literature, Performing Arts and Ballet. In 2003 she completed an intensive art foundation course at the Slade School of Art, London.
She then enrolled at The Florence Academy of art, a school dedicated to the study of realistic and figurative art. She graduated with the three-year diploma in painting and was offered a 4th year of specialization.
Today, Melissa is the director of the ‘Six-week intensive Course in Drawing, Painting and Art History’ at The Florence Academy of Art, and has been since since 2012. Her work is represented in both Europe and the USA, by Scriba, InPARADISO Gallery, Venice, Italy, Grenning Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY, and Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, Texas and Le Passage, Alderney Channel Islands. Her work can be found in private and public collections through Europe and the USA, including the prestigious Accademia della Crusca, Florence.
To view her work please visit:
Blog: melissafranklinsanchez.blogspot.com
Instagram: @melissa_franklin_sanchez_art
Website: www.grenninggallery.com
Email: melissafranklinsanchez@yahoo.it
FAA Alumni Gallery: Melissa Franklin Sanchez
