(they/them)

Mel is an artist and ecologist currently based in Picuris Pueblo lands in northern New Mexico. Raised rural, Mel has always preferred wild spaces, and has studied birds and ecosystems across some of the most scenic landscapes of the West, including the Southern and Northern Sierras, Farallon Islands, Mojave and Sonoran deserts, and California’s iconic oak woodlands. In their new home at the border of the high mountains and high desert, Mel is spending lots of time wandering with their dogs through mountain stream canyons, aspen groves, and conifer forests, as well as the open pinyon-juniper landscapes New Mexico is so famous for. They are especially excited to learn more about the relationships between piñon trees and Pinyon Jays, who are a favorite bird friend from the Southern Sierras.

Mel’s art practice weaves together experiences and knowledge gathered through their science career with a rich inner world, and their most personal work plays at the intersection of keen observation, storytelling, and dreams. Materials Mel loves to use include ink & watercolor as well as painting on wood. They are also a lifelong, old-fashioned journal keeper who loves the feel of pen on paper. Besides the birds, some of Mel’s deepest creative inspirations are Remedios Varo, the Tabula Mundi tarot deck, their fellow scientist creatives such as Chasing Chickadees (who designed and maintains this beautiful website), and their sibling marenubius, also an artist.

Mel recently completed the six month Being with Pigment course with Tilke Elkins, which explored mineral and botanical pigments, and they have started a small collection of mineral pigments found near their home. They are also starting to use egg as a binder with mineral pigments, and so far are both delighted and repelled. Mel has several projects in the works, including Swith’s Journey, a story about the first year of a bird’s life. They are open to collaborations & commissions that use visuals, text, and/or multimedia content to explore ecological concepts or share stories from the ground. To read more rambling updates and see how all the experiments play out, sign up for Mel’s quarterly newsletter (also includes puppy pics).