howdy, here’s a bit
more about me
i go by mel (they/she) and i’m a midwesterner now in northern california.
i’m most alive when i’m on the trail or working with paint, hearing birdsong and observing light. as an educator, i want to cultivate this aliveness within you.
why art as wellness?
I’ve spent the last 14 years working as an art educator at places like Apple, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and DIY artist-run galleries to support creative humans at all levels of their practice. I truly believe that creativity is a human right and not enough folks have access to creative education.
during a lot of my experience, the goal of teaching was always to help students produce an end product, to build something that looked good. I find this approach stifles play and curiosity — two vital aspects of what keeps me coming back to art.
I have seen my students struggle over and over with persistence I write newsletter dispatches and create exercises for my subscribers that keeps people coming back to the practice of art and integrating it in their lives.
Making with our hands helps us to see aspects of ourselves that we are disconnected from. It helps us root and tend to our soul and craft simultaneously. When I work with students in Craft Tutoring sessions, we build assignments that adapt to your lifestyle, that integrate balance. Grinding and focusing on product divorces us from how art can heal us. That is why it’s a wellness practice for me.
what is your
teaching philosophy?
-integration of time at apple
how art needs community
discord and emergent community button
I compassionately support the human creative struggle, helping folks reconnect to craft, and heal their relationships with technology. Tech can show up in our lives with a ton of promise, but it often acts like a thief more often than a partner -- stealing our time, energy, and creative sovereignty.
I show people how to work in alignment with their hands, bodies, and the beauty around them to open up and embrace their inner artist. We will on occasion use tech tools, intentionally.
I am a practicing artist, which means the knowledge I share with you comes from doing the work. I spend several days a week in my studio, painting in nature, and showing my art regularly online and off.
I have taught in-person for Apple, The Nelson-Atkins Museum, the Kansas City Art Institute, the Center for Community Arts, and Bees N Blooms Farm. I also spent a lot of time in the DIY art spaces, creating things outside of traditional institutions for the local arts community
Despite learning to teach in person, I've been teaching online in various capacities since 2021 and have supported all kinds of folks through tech challenges. I'll gently guide you through any tech troubles that come up.
live classes | self guided classes
adventure art,
what’s that?
put simply, i make landscape paintings, but i like to go off the beaten path, backpacking, distance hiking, and integrate the landscapes i see into my work.
-nature + mission statement of seducing people into loving nature
-this is how i feel alive as a person with a quilt of disabilities
nature slows me down and tests my resilience
why should i trust you?
DIY art scene experience
not just an advice giver
here is my resume
watch my youtube channel | explore free resources
what else should i know?
I dont use AI
art comes first! I only work with folks Sunday mornings, and Tuesday-Thursday, which allows me to prioritize time in the studio. The exception to this is my live classes, which often happen on Saturdays.
they them
long covid
did you read this whole page? email me, let’s have a coffee i’d like to get to know you.