To be donated to the Western States Wild Horse and Burro Show in Reno, NV, Aug. 20-22, where Mattis will be exhibiting her art. For more info, visit www.wildhorseandburroexpo.com

The Mustang Series - by Sarah H. Crampton

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Melissa Mattis' most recent series of paintings are of the wild mustangs she has seen in Nevada.

She has painted 36 pieces in this mustang series to date, and has sold all but a handful of the paintings. The bold colors and loose brushstrokes are befitting of the wild and free spirit of the proud equines. The contemporary look of Mattis' work renders the detail of the horses minimally, yet they are still convincingly real.

Melissa comments, "The horse's wild spirit yet gentle nature has taught me to look within for my true self. The horses that I choose to paint are the wild mustangs of North America. The mustangs that I paint are out on the land roaming free, however most are in holding facilities waiting to be adopted by the public. To me these horses represent the true untamed spirit that everyone truly longs for in their heart."

She continues, "I paint these wonderful horses and I now have the pleasure of owning one. Her name is Whinny, she is eleven and was born on the range and captured outside of Reno, Nevada. She was adopted at the Palomino Valley Bureau of Land Management by a family in Livermore.

After being gentled, her young owner lost interest in horses and Whinny sat for six years. She was given to me on the agreement that I would give her a job and I intend to show her next year."

At only 24 years of age, Melissa has already accomplished a large body of work. Continually striving to improve her technique, she has taken to applying paint more with the palette knife than the paint brush in the latest of the Mustang Series. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor's degree of Fine Art at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California. The University is currently showing three of her paintings in their annual spring show through June 5, 2004. She will exhibit the Mustang Series at the Western States Horse Expo Equine Art Exhibit in Sacramento, California, June 11-13, 2004. Mattis is currently seeking gallery representation.

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