I’m Melissa Reyes

Welcome to my studio, inspiration and mission.

I can remember getting lost in my imagination as a child, exploring my back yard with a crystal to guide me (a big chunk of rose quartz to be exact), winding through the garden spaces that lined our fence; calling it the “jungle”. Some days I was an explorer, archeologist, or I could tap into magical powers. I always admired the beauty of iris and lilac blooms that returned every spring around my house, and still feel nostalgic any time I smell them.

I loved being in the woods, which felt magical and amazing to me, or getting to explore the Oregon beaches and tide pools. Finding myself constantly drawn to rocks, nature, animals, and fascinated by insects. Bones, wings, and life cycles weren’t scary, but interesting and curious. A lifetime of collecting these rocks and curiosities has captivated my imagination, and created a sense that experiencing nature is important and not to be taken for granted.

Much of my art inspiration comes from nature, the relationships and connections species have to their surrounding environment and the parts they play together in a symbiotic fashion. The migrations and epic journeys taken in order for a species to survive is incredibly fascinating. I’m mesmerized by the sky; cloud formations, sunsets, the moon, stars and astrological connections to the seasons and shifts that occur as we circle the sun. Inspiration is all around us, and the natural elements and experiences in them ground, connect, heal, and energize us. It is my passion to create the visions and dreams that flow through me and from me to convey these experiences and relationships with nature. Sometimes an artwork doesn’t reveal itself or its story until I’m deep into the process, while others come as a clearer vision or idea that takes shape and evolves as it needs to. The less I fight the process, the more those visions come to life.

Creating art is such a personal process of expression and therefore incredibly therapeutic. If art speaks to you, it’s for you. It is my hope that what I create and share with the world finds who it’s meant to find, bringing with it more love, joy, inspiration, beauty, peace, connection. Which is why we surround ourselves with it in the first place right?

Keep following your curiosity, you never know where it can take you.

MY MISSION: I tend to hoard shipping materials that can be reused. What can be reused, gets utilized. If I purchase materials specifically to ensure the safe arrival of items or I simply don’t have what I need, my priority is to choose environmentally friendly and sustainable products. Working in harmony with nature and her precious resources is something I try to keep in mind and continue to improve on when I can. I’m not perfect by a long shot, but if I can reduce impact while getting beautiful art safely to it’s new home, then that’s a win!

My plans for an even greater mission: To put my money where my mouth is by donating to organizations that are out there doing the work to repair, revive, protect, and create harmony between humans and nature. Many art prints will accompany this mission by offering a percentage of profits to a specific organization. This will be clearly stated in the information provided with these art prints. If you would like to be informed about when and which prints will join this mission, I encourage you to subscribe to my newsletter. And I thank you for joining me in the effort to keep the beauty that surrounds us, around us and thriving. When nature thrives, we all thrive.