Melinda Arthur
Melinda Arthur works in oils focusing primarily on botanical and organic still life subjects. Her work is influenced by the likes of Georgia O’Keeffe and Salvador Dali for their bold colors, attention to detail, and respect for the natural world.
Melinda studied art at Radford University earning her Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics, ’86; and BFA in Painting and Printmaking, ’81. In RU’s Senior BFA Art Show ’81 she received a Purchase Award and her work hung in the Dean of Student Affairs Office. She also studied at Virginia Western Community College earning an AFA, ’79, as well as attending numerous workshops, mostly at the Roanoke Fine Arts Center (now the Art Museum of Western Virginia).
She founded White Tree Pottery in 1985 for her Master’s Thesis Project and worked there through 1999, doing over 150 art and craft shows, mostly ones of gallery-quality work with the Sugarloaf Promoters and Virginia Mountain Crafts Guild, all over Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, and North Carolina. Her pottery found its way into 47 states and 9 countries. Her work also was sold through REI in Seattle WA. She made award trophies for the American Whitewater Association and other whitewater rodeo promoters for 5 years personalizing each award for the winners.
Desiring a return to 2-D work, she served as Staff Artist and Exhibits Technician at Amazement Square Children’s Museum (2001-2005). Much of her work is still found in the galleries there. The original design for the Amazement Square/Lynchburg History Mosaic mural on Jefferson Street was Melinda’s project, which she worked to refine for over a year before the tiling was begun.
2010 found her wanting to revive her love for oil painting. After showing paintings for the first time in nearly 30 years with Kaleidoscope/Lynchburg Art Club in 2010, Light Wings Gallery, Sept/Oct 2011, is her first solo Gallery Exhibition. She also marked a return to Kaleidoscope in mid-September 2011 and 2012. She joined 7 Hills Art Club in October 2012.
Melinda studied art at Radford University earning her Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics, ’86; and BFA in Painting and Printmaking, ’81. In RU’s Senior BFA Art Show ’81 she received a Purchase Award and her work hung in the Dean of Student Affairs Office. She also studied at Virginia Western Community College earning an AFA, ’79, as well as attending numerous workshops, mostly at the Roanoke Fine Arts Center (now the Art Museum of Western Virginia).
She founded White Tree Pottery in 1985 for her Master’s Thesis Project and worked there through 1999, doing over 150 art and craft shows, mostly ones of gallery-quality work with the Sugarloaf Promoters and Virginia Mountain Crafts Guild, all over Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, and North Carolina. Her pottery found its way into 47 states and 9 countries. Her work also was sold through REI in Seattle WA. She made award trophies for the American Whitewater Association and other whitewater rodeo promoters for 5 years personalizing each award for the winners.
Desiring a return to 2-D work, she served as Staff Artist and Exhibits Technician at Amazement Square Children’s Museum (2001-2005). Much of her work is still found in the galleries there. The original design for the Amazement Square/Lynchburg History Mosaic mural on Jefferson Street was Melinda’s project, which she worked to refine for over a year before the tiling was begun.
2010 found her wanting to revive her love for oil painting. After showing paintings for the first time in nearly 30 years with Kaleidoscope/Lynchburg Art Club in 2010, Light Wings Gallery, Sept/Oct 2011, is her first solo Gallery Exhibition. She also marked a return to Kaleidoscope in mid-September 2011 and 2012. She joined 7 Hills Art Club in October 2012.
