ARTIST STATEMENT

Melissa "Mesa" Matarese is a multimedia artist devoted to truly living this single, wild, precious life. In this fast-paced, tech-driven culture, she has chosen a different path, that of *the dreamer, the artist, the sacred fool.* Her curiosity drives her to explore many mediums, techniques and corners of the world, but Bucks County, PA, is where she calls home. There, she resides in Minimus, her hand-built, off-grid tiny house on wheels and creates out of her renovated barn studio.
For Mesa art and spiritual practice are on in the same. Art has been Mesa’s refuge since childhood. It is how she relates to and makes sense of the world. Her process is spontaneously and playful, allowing the creative spirit shine through. Her visual language has an organic, dream-like quality that reflects themes of freedom, wildlife, and natural patterns.

Mesa earned her BFA from Kutztown University and the University of Waikato in New Zealand. But perhaps more importantly she continues to gain her informal education by observing nature and giving herself permission to make extraordinary messes and fascinating mistakes.

Equal to Mesa’s passion for creating art is her passion for encouraging others to explore their own relationship with creativity. It is one of her greatest joys and deepest pleasures to support others to see and express more awe & wondering.