New York-based oil painter and photographer, Melissa Mandel, graduated from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey with her Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Arts with a concentration in Painting. At Stockton, Melissa studied under her mentor, David Ahlsted, whose ability to create depth within a painting inspires Melissa’s compositions. Her style is also inspired by impressionism and pointillism, as well as the painterly brush strokes and vivid color palette of Vincent van Gogh, and the co-existing realism and abstract qualities of Jenny Saville. Melissa draws from this wide variety of influences, combining them to achieve unique paintings that have photographic and abstract qualities, complex compositions, and vivid colors—enhanced just enough for the viewer to believe in the natural existence of the landscape.
Melissa Mandel’s education as a Visual Arts major enables her to incorporate knowledge from a variety of disciplines into her paintings including photography and graphic design. Her paintings start as original digital photographs. As she composes an image, Melissa creates depth by capturing smaller objects in the foreground and larger objects in the background. Using design software she enhances the natural colors and crops the image on the computer before freehand drawing the image on the canvas. During cropping, Melissa removes the top and bottom of the photograph; this method draws the audience into the scene, inviting viewers to be participants rather than outside observers. Objects in the foreground are painted in higher detail while objects in the background are painted loosely with a more subdued color palette to further create depth. When enhancing color, Melissa concentrates cool colors in areas of shadow and warm colors in the highlights, which adds to the illusion of depth. Melissa uses the technique of layering, allowing the oil paint to dry between each layer, building color and adding detail as the composition comes to life on the canvas.
Melissa Mandel selects subject matter that is unremarkable by mainstream society’s standards; scenes that many people are liable to overlook in today’s fast-paced world. She transforms her subject by putting a new spin on the common, drawing out details and strategically using color and shadow to make the once mundane vivacious, noteworthy and memorable. With her artwork, Melissa aims to instill a lasting impression of the beauty of nature, reminding the viewer of the importance of slowing down, taking a deep breath and appreciating the details of our daily surroundings.
