You’re Invited to my Virtual Open Studio!

Open Studio 2020 Postcard Invitations featuring the painting, "Year of the Rat" by artist Melani Grube, for Sac Open Studios..

  Will you be there? Today, at 1 pm, I will be Live-streaming on Facebook with my Open Studio, as part of Sac Open Studios hosted by Verge Center for the Arts .   And I’m baking cupcakes for you!   Yes, I know you won’t be able to actually eat them, but you can…

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Winter’s Icy Breath: Sketch Phase Coming Your Way

A cropped detail from A detail of a deer from Melani Grube's work-in-progress painting, "Winter's Icy Breath".

  How is the weather out your way? It’s a blustery, rainy storm going on here! The kind of day you race to get under cover and have to shake off the wet once you’re inside.   Pictured here is another step in my painting, where I start to ink in the characters and creatures.…

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To Inspire You: Fly High

A thumbnail version of An illustration by Melani Grube of an eagle soaring high amongst the mountaintops and blue sky.

  Fly high and don’t let anyone take the wind from beneath you. Sometimes it may feel like you are the only one who believes in you. It’s lonely. It’s hard. And it’s the most important time to keep pushing on: it will carry you to your potential. Give yourself some love, ’cause you deserve…

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Winter’s Icy Breath: Preliminary Sketches

A detail from Eagle, Nesting Bird, and Wolf preliminary sketches for the painting, "Winter's Icy Breath", by Melani Grube.

  These are some preliminary sketches for my “Winter’s Icy Breath” painting. What is it like to be touched by winter? What creatures thrive in it? I’m not a fan of it, myself. But I have known a person or two who loved the cold. And after all, it sets a nice rhythm to our…

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Winter’s Icy Breath: the Flat Lay Inspiration

A detail from The flat lay assemblage inspired by the painting, "Winter's Icy Breath", by Melani Grube. From the Muses series. The flat lay includes winter plant sketches, metal and black metallic bracelets, a white heart-shaped seashell, a jewelled pin, crystals, and photos of deer, a nesting bird, snowy landscapes, a siberian husky, and an eagle.

  What do you think of when you think of winter? These creatures came to mind for me. These colors crept in and found a home in my painting. And crisp, crystalline textures crunched about. Keep watching to see this piece develop. See the next post in the process here or start at the beginning…

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Play Big!

Detail of an Illustration (by Melani Grube) of a woman playing a very large string bass, a ribbon-framed corner and a flurry of butterflies emerging from the strings.

  How are you enjoying your Saturday? Let me encourage you to: Play Big! Work, rest or play, let’s put everything we’ve got into each day,  and we will make a difference in our lives and the world around us. Fiddle on.

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Illustrated Title Banner for the Painting, “Wild Horses”

A detail from Hand-lettered title for the painting, "Wild Horses", with illustration element of a horse head with flowing mane.

  Happy Sunday! I hope you are having a wild and wonderful time. “Wild Horses” is the title of my newest painting for which I have been sharing the work-in-progress pictures. Now, watch for my next post when I reveal the completed piece. What is your favorite thing to do on Sundays? Tell me about…

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Horse Protection Day

Detail from pen and ink illustration of a cantering horse, mane flowing, tail flying behind.

  Horse Protection Day is March 1st (I know I missed it by a couple months. I just found out about it.) It was founded by pet lifestyle expert and animal behaviorist Colleen Page to bring awareness to the plight of both wild horses and unwanted horses being auctioned to be slaughtered for their meat.…

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Preliminary Sketches for the Painting, “Wild Horses”

A detail from A preliminary pencil sketch for the "Wild Horses" painting, of running, wild horses, featuring one looking back.

These pencil drafts (see the second image below) are the second phase in the creation of my paintings. (You can see the paint spatter in the first phase here.) They’re messy and loose and far from refined. But the looser they are, the more they keep the spirit of the initial inspiration for the painting.…

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