Melissa Stratton Pandina

Capturing the Heart of the Enchanted World

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Magic is real, you just need the eyes to see it. Whether it's the notes of music that link you back into your ancestors, or the gust of wind enticing you to loosen the chains of gravity, these moments are enchanting. These are the times I capture in my work. I peel back the “what actually happened,” slip in a touch of myth and the mystic, and hopefully the viewer gets to experience the extraordinary world right below the surface.

In oil, or pen and ink watercolors, my work utilizes bright colors whether the images are in full sun or in chiaroscuro. Lately, I’ve been breaking the border to create a meeting space between the viewer and the subject's world. I have also been working on a series of puppets and masks based on old European folklore and practices.  This allows the fantastic to cross all the way out of its two dimensional space and into our world.

I graduated from MassArt with a degree in Illustration in 2003. Since then, I have sold painting internationally and domestically. It has been an honor to work with several publishers to contribute to calendars and create album covers. I have also created several pieces for public works projects, most notably Easthamptons bear fest and The Springfield Museum's Chalk It, Chalk Festival. I’ve also done many private commissions. Currently, I am working on the "Oracle of the Seer" slated to be published in 2020.