Thomas the Apostle Retreat Center (TAC) is on the outskirts of Cody, Wyoming. This special location is where I led an Iconography Workshop in mid-August 2023. The intensive week-long workshop focused on writing the icon, Lamb of God.

The students were all incredibly dedicated to the process, and at the end of the week, their icons revealed a Lamb of God, which was fully theirs, and reflected their beautiful individuality, and their connection to the Divine.

When the week was over, I felt like I had been reset. I hope my students felt the same.

The Place the Mind Must Go, Melissa Strickler, 2020

A young man, who I have basically known from the day he was born asked me to paint his mask,… his radiation mask that he wore during his radiation treatments to attack and destroy a cancer I can’t even pronounce.

This strange sterile looking object arrived in the mail, and I didn’t know where to start. Like so many who have had treatments during this time of the pandemic, it has adds an extra layer of difficulty, and the days of someone being there, and holding your hand is out the window.

I had to imagine where my own mind would need to go, while being anchored to a table for several minutes day after day, after day.

Personally I would want to envision color, light, a garden, words of encouragement, and so on.

That is what inspired “The Place the Mind Must Go”.
Healing and Peace for Joe.

It was an honor to be awarded Best of Show at the Women’s Suffrage Exhibition.
But I think the best moment was when we were at the opening and all the women were wearing white, raising and waving our hands in a moment of solidarity.

Esther Hobart Morris is one of many strong women who we owe a toast, a thought-filled thank you,…but even more we need to follow their footsteps.
There is a cause which leads to equality that I am sure tugs on your heartstrings.
The road can be long, tedious, and at times feel futile, even worse some changes we might not see in our life time,
but what if those determined, gutsy women would not have pursued their dream for true equality, where would we be today? I don’t want to go there.
Here’s to you Esther!

I am surrounded by natural beauty in warm, cold, bitter-cold, and windy weather. There is no reason I don’t do more painting on site,..I own a coat!

The paintings might need the finishing touches on them once I am back indoors, but I am going for it. Wish me luck.

Mid-August I had the privilege to participate in an art competition/exhibit in Green River, Wyoming.
It was the 15th Annual Art on the Green, a 24 hour competition.

In the 24 hours you have to work you must complete the artwork, and have it ready to exhibit,… framed, etc…
The level of talent at the show was amazing, and I was so pleased to be in this large room surrounded by such talent.

Shawna Pickinpaugh, one of my fellow Alchemy Artists Cooperative members was along side me working on her incredible
Qwink artwork ( check her work out ). Green River is Shawna’s old stomping ground, where she taught at one time, and several of her past students, now successful artists were also competing.

This was not just 2D work, but also 3D, so the sculptors were hard at it. It was hard not to watch others painting or sculpting.

I was tearing and gluing at a quick speed needed to finish my work in the allotted time, but I did it, with a little time to spare. It was really challenging and fun.
Once you were finished, your art was ready for a silent auction.

The Green River Arts Council hosted a lovely banquet afterward, where the the 3 judges were introduced.
I was pleased to receive 3rd Place in Artists Choice, and also 3rd place in Judges Choice in the 2D category.

I don’t know what next year hold for me in August, but if I am available I would love to be back in Green River, at Art on The Green.

Just do it.

My imagination leads me to see what I want to create, but how to make it happen can be be a different matter.

I pictured this mosaic with ceramic flowers, titled Ring of Posies for over a year, knowing I wanted to make it for the Garden Party Show.

It came together, but not without a few mishaps, but in the end I was pleased with the finished work.
Will I make more? You bet. Will I not wait to finish it until a week before an exhibition? Definitely.

The Lander Art Center has asked the four artists to give their Artist Statement for the Garden Party Exhibition.

The question was asked to us, “What is a garden party to you?”

Melissa Strickler – Artist Statement

Grandmother’s red Cana Lilies growing through her rickety fence, with lightening bugs dancing all around,… this is my image of a Garden Party.

Grandpa’s multi-color Zinnias, thick and waist high lining the outside of his gas station, and customers picking some flowers to take home with them,…this is my image of a Garden Party.

Mother’s bright orange Poppies waving gently in the wind, and the purple Iris releasing their spicy scent in the air as the evening sun sets on a sky of coral,…this is my image of a Garden Party.

Dad’s determined spirit to grow roses in soil that was un-forgiving, and always taking time to push his kids, and then grandkids in the well-worn wheelbarrow,…this is my image of a Garden Party.

Along with my husband, I watch as our honeybees methodically extract nectar from the flowers, and retrieve pollen, then back to the hives they go.

They don’t mind us, and we are intrigued by them. This is my image of a Garden Party.

The colors, scent, and sounds of gardens and gardeners I have known inspired my work for this exhibition.

Take a moment and close your eyes, and visit a long forgotten garden.

Okay, I like that saying, especially when it is attached to an image of Dolly Parton, because we all love Dolly.

Lately I have been working on a big piece of art, and it has been so much fun. It is one of my mixed media pieces, collage along with oil paint.
It has been a little bit like playing Twister as I have worked on it.
On more than one occasion my one-foot balancing has not gone well, and I have found my foot in paint. Humbled, I then hop off the canvas.
Oh well, just another paint and glue mess to clean.

I love working on detailed work,… basically working until yours eyes can’t focus on anything more than 2 feet in front of you (iconographer’s will understand this). BUT, I also love working on big, and even bigger art, where tiny details don’t matter, but instead I have to challenge myself to see the big picture, literally.

So, if The Higher the Hair, the Closer to God, well then the bigger I work, the closer to heaven. That’s what it feels like to me.

The Garden Party Exhibition, coming June 7 – July 20, 2019

A few weeks back I was asked by the pastor of the church I attend to help with the children’s sermon. He asked if I would color some pictures, this of course was right up my alley.

The first image we showed the kiddos was the untouched one, letting them ponder how they would color it. The second image was how the pastor imagined he would color it, trying to be good at staying in the lines, and using the “correct” colors.

Then he told the kids he had a friend that it was difficult for her to stay in the lines, and thought outside the box. Then we showed them the last coloring page, bright, busy, colorful and definitely more interesting. The kids as if on cue said ” Cool!”

You could easily see which one caught their eye.The Pastor went on to say, Yes, it’s okay to color in the lines and be safe with the things you choose, such as the colors, but isn’t it more interesting, exciting, and just plain fun to color outside the lines. Just as your life will be richer and colorful, and more fulfilling if you live outside your lines.

A lesson we should all live by.

Several months ago I had the opportunity to work with four other artists on a painting,…well kind of.

We were at an art and music festival in Lander called Riverfest, put on by the Lander Art Center.
Myself along with the other four artists,…Nick Thornburg, Rosie Ratigan, Sally Watt, and JC Dye, were approached about painting 1 1/2 hours on the piece of art, one after the other.

We did not discuss or even visit for a moment about a plan, we wanted to keep it unexpected. The combination of art flowed together, well like oil and water.

Okay, I don’t think it is a masterpiece, but it was fun and enjoyable, and it was a great day working with artists I truly respect.

This past winter I had the awesome experience of hanging with the 2nd and 3rd grade art students and their groovy talented teachers at Gannett Peak Elementary in Lander Wyoming.

My love of collage is what I shared with the kids, and it was great to see them dive in and embrace the tearing and pasting of paper. These young students are gifted by an extraordinary art program at their school.

Art is something Fremont County doesn’t shy away from, and the results are evident as the students advance to the upper grades and learn more advanced techniques.

PALS (Promoting Art in Lander Schools) is an organization in Lander which brings artists of all genres
in to the schools to educate the kids. PALS is a program I have participated in for several years, and am hopeful that more programs like this can be planted and grow budding artists, as in our very fortunate community.

Recently I heard from an old friend, who was catching me up with what’s new in his life. It seems like a lot actually, as he shared about a new ministry in an old barn, yep, a barn.
The other news was Jesus was there at the barn. Jesus, the one I am writing about is a collage I created about 13 years ago, for a Good Friday Church Service. This piece of art was
raw and real, and it was powerful as I worked on it.

Jesus wound up in Bill’s office, and then after time Bill ( along with Jesus) moved from Texas to California, and then to New Hampshire, where the art is now displayed at the Boiler Room Barn Ministry.

After all the time on the road Jesus has a few new creases, less crown of thorns, etc… but hopefully still has the spirit I tried to apply as I glued each scrap of paper, each image, each prayer.

It is nice when you set your work free, you never know where it might wind up,…it could surprise you.

If you ever pass through a small town called Epping, New Hampshire look for the Boiler Room Barn Ministry, I know you will be blessed by stepping inside. Jesus will be waiting, creased and broken.

Boiler Room Barn Ministry
Epping, New Hampshire
818-642-0305

Artist Studio Tour, August 5 2018

Recently some of the ALCHEMY Artists invited the public for a studio tour.

It was a great afternoon where the artists opened up our personal studio spaces so those interested could come see where and how we work.

The turn out of folks which visited our studios was awesome, and all of the Alchemy members that participated enjoyed it, and we felt like all those who attended had a good time too.

We were more than a little fortunate to be in the Path of Totality in Lander for the Great American Eclipse 2017.

The preparation was a group effort in all the communities throughout the country to pull off the 10s of 1000s of people that flooded in to small cities, and even smaller towns. I must admit it was work, and we wondered if the hype of a total solar eclipse was really all it was cut out to be. I have seen a partial eclipse, and I am sure I thought it was interesting, but was it memorable? To be honest I can’t remember.

We heard about Eclipse Chasers, even met some. Folks that just have to see one more total solar eclipse, and then another. Really?
Isn’t one enough? I was just excited I would get to experience one in my life time, and glad I wasn’t going to need to travel to see it.

As people flooded in to our small town, for the most part they were giddy with anticipation. Everyone was in a celebratory state, and all of us who live here was ready for the event to come to fruition, with only a few hazy clouds forecast.

The morning of the Eclipse we were prepared,…snacks, drinks, and perched on a hilltop with a perfect view.
Sporting our bedazzled eclipse glasses, we waited and watched. The partial was interesting, and worth watching no doubt, but then it all changed. When totality happened and we took off our glasses, whatever my small group thought it would be like, we were all wrong, It was so much more.

I am not going to go in to any detail of the full-on experience, because there are no words I could muster that could even start to express how we felt. I will say it was bonding. We shared something in that moment that made you feel so very small, but also part of something very, very big.

Before the sun was shining fully we were discussing Eclipse Chasers. Actually we were discussing about becoming one. Eclipse Chasers,…Really!!!