My name is
Melinda Curtin and my work is here to beautify, amuse and inspire.
My singular,
mixed-media creations combine whimsy, color and imagination. With each piece, I
aspire to provide smiles and warmth. Much of my collection becomes a highly
functional alternative to mundane household items and the entire collection
encourages a sense of adventure, by enhancing one’s environment.
Although I was
born in the Midwest, my family moved to Tucson
at an early enough age for me to consider myself a native Arizonan. I took a
short break in a different kind of heat, when I received my undergraduate
degree from the University of Florida, before earning my master’s from the University of Arizona. I have been living in Tucson ever since, where
I have raised my two children, as well as owning and operating an art gallery
for ten years.
My current body
of work is quite eclectic. The hand-painted floormats display vivid colors and
original designs. I transform vintage windows and frames into palettes for my
reverse glass painting, which can run the gamut from realistic to cartoonish.
Whenever possible, I incorporate various recyclables into my work. I believe
that reusing unusual components adds history and at the same time gives life to
objects once forgotten.
I am totally
enamored with the culture and stark beauty of both Tucson and greater the Sonoran region. As a
result, my usual choices include Mexican and southwestern colors with a
frequent infusion of metallics. Subtle changes in similar pieces help to
maintain the one-of-a-kind quality of my work.
Much of my work originates in my imagination while a sizeable number of
pieces are customized to accommodate specific needs and settings. Regardless of
this distinction my primary goal has been and always will be to make each piece
speak to the person whose home it will adorn.
While my
inspirations continue to be a full-time
work in progress, my actual workspace is my
“studio/second home”, in the
Fourth Avenue art district, just off
campus of the University of Arizona.
