Melissa Sue Stanley

Biography

Melissa Sue Stanley is an artist using mixed and varied mediums to create a diverse body of work.

The main focus of Stanley's work is narrative portraits (watercolor, oils, graphite, charcoal, colored pencil). Reference material is pulled from scattered photographs of friends and colleagues – nicked from their social media profiles or secretly shot from the hip on Stanley’s phone. The individual is not aware that they are the subject of a piece until the completed work is placed online. These portraits are Stanley's way of developing a visual life history and deeper understanding of the relationships and shared environments she moves through.

Stanley also creates soft sculptures that are collected internationally and exhibited in galleries around the United States. These monsters and spirits are the denizens of Stanley's personal mythology - characters of stories that are told only through wool and wire. While some are produced in series or limited runs, each small creature is painstakingly created, entirely hand-stitched and unique.

Melissa enjoys making things with her hands, expensive beer, and rowdy bluegrass - preferably all at the same time. If you come to visit her in Chicago she will probably want to draw your face into one of her many well-worn sketchbooks.

Customs & Show Pieces

• Piece(s) for Gift Wrapped, 2019
• Piece(s) for Gift Wrapped, 2018
• Piece(s) for Gift Wrapped, 2017
• Piece(s) for Gift Wrapped 2, 2014
• Piece(s) for Gift Wrapped, 2013
• Piece(s) for Super Button Mashers, A Gamer Tribute, 2012
• "Shades of Red" for Adventure Time, 2012

Images

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  for Adventure Time