About the Artist:
Melissa Ayr, born in New York, is an abstract painter that paints with energy, emotion and color. She incorporates high energy, fluidity, growth and life. She changes her environment and uses the materials around her to create her art in the moment. From oils, to acrylics, to inks, to chalks, to watercolors, each painting is original and inspired by the energy of the moment and each piece has a story. Melissa’s art is mostly created using her fingers, hands, breasts, and her body. She will occasionally use brushes but prefers to push the edge of painting by using her body and an endless variation of objects and materials. Melissa continues to push the boundaries of abstract art just as those who influenced her. Melissa is inspired by the lives and art of Picasso, Pollock, Kandinsky, Frankenthaler, Chagall, Da Vinci, Monet, & Degas. Melissa has worked with some brilliant creative minds in the art world. While living in Lake Tahoe she did plein air paintings with David DA Russo a student of Pablo Picasso. Picasso taught David to create and create and create. Melissa learned that the number one rule in being an artist is to always create art.
From the early age of 3 she began painting under the watchful eye of her creative family. Melissa’s Mother had a keen sense for fashion and design and was accepted into the New York School of Design. Her Mother’s plans to become a designer turned to motherhood at the early age of 17. Melissa’s Grandfather was also an artist and she feels lucky to have the support and encouragement of her family from early on. She knew at a very young age that she was going make art a lifetime endeavor.
At a young age Melissa had a near death experience. Melissa was hit by a car while crossing the street in San Francisco and was in a coma for a week. While in her coma Melissa was personally asked by God if she wanted to live or if she wanted to die. Melissa chose to live! This life altering experience provides an overflowing source of creativity to Melissa’s art.
Melissa states “I am here to create art. I am here to touch others with art. I am thankful to be alive and I paint with passion. The energy that flows throughout my body is put into my body of artwork. I am always striving to capture the feeling, depth and flow of the moment. My desire is for a person to relax and let their mind wander and refresh as they look at the artwork.“
Melissa’s art has been sought after for private collections and has a client base in France, UK, Sweden, Australia, China and the United States. Melissa was recently selected as one of ten artists in the United States to be represented at Art Basel in Miami & Art Platform in Los Angeles by Ruinart Champagne, a brand of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey. Over the summer Melissa Ayr was invited by the International Child Art Foundation to speak at the World Art Olympiad in Washington DC. The Art Olympiad is an event held every 4 years at the National Mall where Children from around the World can collaborate together to celebrate their creativity and imagination through the arts.
To Melissa Ayr, art represents much more than just painting on canvas. Art is a lifestyle — an experience that transcends the everyday and raises expectations. Ayr art represents quality, and luxury the world over. Knowing this, Melissa’s commitment to excellence in quality, color and composition has made a natural pursuit of advancing the areas of abstraction, self expression, pure creativity and of course, expanding the art of painting. From the custom made and hand stretched canvas to the finest paints and mediums that allow the art to endure the test of time.
Melissa invites you to learn more about her passion, her unique style, and her dedication to her clients.
Awards / Honors:
Artist Melissa Ayr has been selected as one of ten artists in the United States to be represented at Art Basel | Miami Beach & Art Platform – Los Angeles by Ruinart Champagne, a brand of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey.
Melissa Ayr was recently commissioned to paint her style of art work on a Young Chang Baby Grand Piano which was sold by Heritage Auction house.
Education:
1999 College of Notre Dame, Art Therapy Training, Belmont, CA
1996 New Age Academy, Art Education, Berkeley, CA
1995 University of California, Berkeley, B.A., Berkeley, CA
1994 San Francisco Art Institute, Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
1993 California College of the Arts, Fine Art, Oakland, CA
1993 Sacramento City College, Fine Art, Sacramento, CA
Professional Experience:
1999-Present Scribbles Art, Business Owner / Art Instructor, San Francisco, CA
2008 YAT Gallery, Gallery Art Director, Keller, TX
2007 Tahoe Art League, Publicity Chair, South Lake Tahoe, CA
1998 Art for Recovery, Cancer/AIDS Patient Art Evangelist, San Francisco, CA
1994-1998 New Age Academy, Art Instructor, Berkeley, CA
1993 Museum of Children’s Art, Gallery Director / Art Instructor, Oakland, CA
Board Trustee:
2010-11 ICAF – International Child Art Foundation Advisory Board, Washington, DC
2008 Southlake Women’s Club, Art Chair, Southlake, TX
2007 Tahoe Art League, Publicity Chair, South Lake Tahoe, CA
Recognized Instructors:
2009 Edward Gilmore, Coeur d’Alene, ID
2008 Francois Arenas, Grapevine, TX
2007 Linda DeCurtis, Zephyr Cove, NV
2006 David “DA” Russo (Student of Picasso), South Lake Tahoe, CA
Juror:
2009 Mid Cities Fine Artists
2008 Trinity Arts Guild
2008 YAT Gallery
Professional Accreditation:
2011 Florence Biennale
2010 Liverpool Biennial
Selected Art Exhibition:
2012 Eighths, March Group Exhibition – Chelsea, New York
2011 Honey Bee, Biennale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea di Firenze 2011
2011 10 Artists for Ruinart, Art Platform – Los Angeles
2011 SquAyr, The Artist Project New York / 10th Annual Architectural Digest Home Show, New York – Pier 92
2010 Be Ruinart, Art Basel Miami Beach (ABMB) / Ruinart Champagne, Miami Beach, FL
2010 Ayr Art Transformation Tour – Dallas, TX (Selected Contemporary Artist by Ruinart Champagne, a brand of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey.)
2010 Ocean Drive, NFL Super Bowl Charity Bash, Miami Beach, FL, – 47 Million Reasons
2009 Wild Thing, Wild9 World Congress, Yucatan, Mexico, – The Wild Foundation
2009 Rush, Gilmore Collective Art Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID
2009 Live Painting – Tree of Life, It’s a Grind, Dallas (Deep Ellum), TX, – Art Love Magic
2009 Snap Dragon, Gaylord Texan, Grapevine, TX, – Grace Gala
2009 Gallery Night, YAT Gallery, Keller, TX
2009 Crazy Horse, Summer Chalk Art Festival, Southlake, TX, – Rocky Top Therapy and Central Market- Festival Art Chair/ Art Instructor and Sponsor of Art Supplies from Scribbles
2009 Live Painting - Crazy Horse, Mic Check Part 2 – Art and Poetry, Dallas (Deep Ellum), TX
2009 Rock and Roll Chair, Bear Creek Art Gala, Keller, TX, – YAT Gallery
2009 Pure Creativity, Goodrich Gallery, Dallas, TX- Solo Show
2009 Fire Rainbow, Art251, Keller, TX
2009 New Hope, Pieter Andries, Southlake, TX
2009 Crimson Tide (Unfinished), America’s Extreme Home Makeover, Keller, TX, – YAT Gallery
2009 Live Painting – Saxophone, Jazz in June – Featuring Adonis Rose & Fort Worth Jazz Orchestra, Keller, TX
2009 Benefit Exhibition, Texas Motor Speedway, Roanoke, TX, – Keller Chamber of Commerce
2009 Gallery Exhibition, Grapevine Main Street Art Gallery, Grapevine, TX
2009 Chocolate Festival, House of Colors, Grapevine Texas
2008 Exhibition, The McKinney Avenue Contemporary (The MAC), McKinney, TX
2008 Artists of Texas, City Hall, Keller, TX
2008 Benefit Exhibition, Texas Motor Speedway, Roanoke, TX, – Community Store House
2008 Live Painting – Katrina Flood Doors, Pirates Alley – French Quarter, New Orleans, LA- Donation
2008 Live Painting – Magenta, Pirates Alley – French Quarter, New Orleans, LA
2008 Live Painting – Live Jazz, Frisco Arts Center, Frisco, TX
2008 Live Painting – Untitled, Lochran’s Pub, Frisco, TX, – Well Fed Artists
2008 Art Connected, Centennial Medical Center, Plano, TX, – Well Fed Artists
2008 Exhibition, Grapevine Library, Grapevine, TX
2008 Live Painting – Lady in Red, Timarron Country Club, Southlake, TX
2008 Gallery Exhibition, Frisco Arts Center, Frisco, TX
2008 Exhibition, Barnes and Noble, Southlake, TX
2008 Sierra Perspective, Bear Creek Art Gala, Keller, TX
2008 Purple Dog, New 2 Need Charity Event, Denton, TX, – New 2 Need
2008 Benefit Exhibition, Sierra Nevada Active 20-30 Club – Fashion Show Extravaganza, South Lake
Tahoe
2008 Award Winning Invitation, The Great Trail Drive, Fort Worth, TX, – Rocky Top Therapy
2008 Benefit Exhibition, Scottish Rite Cathedral, Dallas, TX, – Brian’s House
2008 Serpent, Carroll Culinary Celebration, Dallas, TX, – Carroll ISD
2008 Benefit Exhibition, Texas Motor Speedway, Roanoke, TX, – Speedway Children’s Charities
2008 Exhibition, Lone Star Park, Grand Prairie, TX, – Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund
2008 Benefit Exhibition, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, San Diego, CA, – Don MacBeth Memorial
Jockey Fund
2008 Grand Opening Exhibition, Air Hogs – QuikTrip Park, Grand Prarie, TX
2008 Benefit Exhibition, Charity Fashion Show, Westlake, TX, – Metroport Meals on Wheels
2008 Benefit Exhibition, Gaylord Texan, Grapevine, TX, – Grace Gala
2008 True Colors, House of Colors Fine Art Gallery, Grapevine, TX
2008 Art of Jazz, MontBleu Casino Resort, South Lake Tahoe- Sold Out!! Solo Show
2007 Join the Vibration, Galerie Blu’u Art Gallery, South Lake Tahoe- Solo Show
2007 Benefit Exhibition, Edgewood Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, – American Century Celebrity Golf
Championship
2007 Exhibition, Sierra Nevada College, Incline Village, NV, – Tahoe Art League
2007 Exhibition, Village Art Gallery at Heavenly, South Lake Tahoe
2007 Exhibition, Galerie Noir Art Gallery, South Lake Tahoe
2007 Exhibition, Sand Harbor at Incline Village, Incline Village, NV
2007 Benefit Exhibition and Installation , Tennessee State University Women’s Center, Nashville, TN
2007 Exhibition and Installation, South Lake Tahoe Airport, South Lake Tahoe
2007 Volunteers in Art Exhibition- Untitled, Nevada Museum of Art (NMA), Reno, NV
2006 Benefit Exhibition, Edgewood Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, – American Century Celebrity Golf
Championship
2002 Falling, Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco, CA, – Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
1999 University Installation Sculpture ATR, College Of Notre Dame, Belmont CA
1999 Gallery Exhibition, The Wiegand Gallery, Belmont CA
1997 Women’s Group Exhibition of Art and Self Expression, The Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY
1997 Exhibition, National Institute of Health, Washington DC, – Art for Recovery
1997 Exhibition, Mount Zion Hospital, San Francisco, CA, – Art for Recovery
1995 University of California at Berkeley, Sculpture Instillation on Campus, Berkeley CA
1994 Gallery Exhibition, Berkeley Art Museum (BAM), Berkeley, CA