Postcard

Aaron Cole

Melanie Hofmann

http://www.fiberscene.com

Melanie Hofmann has been creating art for most of her life. As a teenager, growing up in Berkeley during the 70’s she was introduced to macrame, batik and tie dye which started her interest in fiber arts. Later she attended art school in Mexico at the Instituto Allende where she studied primarily natural dye processes and weaving. Her first degree in Recreation was completed in 1978, and in 1996 she graduated with a fine arts degree in textiles from California College of Arts and Crafts.

Melanie has always loved the process of creating visual art. It excites her to imagine new pieces and then bring them into a physical form. During the process of creating, often new ideas occur, so there is always an element of discovery and unpredictability which she finds intriguing.

Melanie’s current work explores color, light, contrast and texture in an abstract and surreal manner. In the past she has also made representational and figurative work. She has pursued her own healing from trauma experienced in her life by creating large narrative textile pieces that speak of her personal history, but that relate also to the issues that many survivors experience.

Melissa Mathis

Melissa Bay Mathis studied at Rhode Island School of Design and the Art Students League of New York. Her illustrations for picture books have won many awards, including ABA and ALA Pick of the Lists, IRA Teachers' Choice Book, IRA-CBC Bank Street College Children's Book of the Year and her picture book EARTHSONG was chosen by The National Association for Humane and Environmental Education as the 1999 Kids In Nature's Defense top book. Her art work can also be seen on many greeting cards. She provides enrichment and assembly programs for schools, as well as teaching children's book writing and illustration. When not creating art, she can be found building movie theaters for her rabbits and trying to get squirrels to be her friend.

This painting is from Grandad Bill's Song, written by Jane Yolen, published by Penguin Putnam.