Melissa Meyer
Encyclopedia
Melissa Meyer is an American painter living in New York, NY. She is known for her paintings, watercolors and prints, which have been exhibited in the United States and abroad.
. She studied at New York University
from 1968 to 1975, receiving a B.S. and an M.A. Meyer spent her summers as a scholarship student at the Provincetown Workshop, working with Leo Manso and Victor Candell. Shortly thereafter, in 1974, Meyer made her first visit to Yaddo
, upon the recommendation of Helen Frankenthaler
. Since that time, she has made countless visits to Yaddo and is currently a board member. Melissa Meyer has been the recipient of many other grants and residencies as well, including a fellowship at The American Academy in Rome (1980), two National Endowment for the Arts
grants (1983, 1993), the National Academy 183rd Invitational Eric Isenburger Annual Award (2008) and a Pollock-Krasner Foundation
Grant (2009). In the late-seventies, Melissa Meyer questioned why so many women made collages, an idea that sparked Miriam Schapiro
’s interest. Their collaboration became the influential Heresies article entitled Femmage.
Meyer has exhibited over 40 solo shows, beginning in 1976, and has also contributed to numerous group shows. She is currently represented by the New York gallery Lennon, Weinberg, Inc. On her last solo exhibition at Lennon, Weinberg, Lance Esplund wrote “… the works suggest a range of elements—water, fire, solid, air—and of personality. The fusion of line and ground in this body of work creates an interplay in which linear movements become spatial arabesques.” In 1984, Meyer had the first one-person exhibit at Exit Art
, with an accompanying catalogue essay by Stephen Westfall
. From 2003- 2005 she exhibited with Elizabeth Harris. Her 2003 exhibition was accompanied by a catalogue, with an essay written by Meg Wolitzer
. In 2006-2008, she held a solo survey exhibition of her black and white works on paper at the New York Studio School. The show then traveled to Weigand Gallery and Notre Dame de Namur University. Meyer held another survey show at Swarthmore College
, which traveled to Selby Gallery and Ringling College of Art and Design. The catalogue included essays by Robert Storr
and David Cohen. Melissa Meyer was included in a group show at The National Academy Museum in New York, entitled Contemporary Selections: Aligning Abstraction in 2011.
In 1997, Melissa Meyer's sketchbooks were reprinted in facsimile format, published by the Mezzanine Gallery of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
.
In 2001-2002, she completed two large lobby murals for the Shiodome City Center
, designed by Roche-Dinkeloo
and Associates, in the Minato district of Tokyo
. One mural is 60 by 11 feet, comprising eight panels. The other measures 40 by 50 feet, comprising 35 panels. She painted these in a rented studio in Brooklyn and during the summer she spent as faculty at Skowhegan in the summer of 2002. Meyer has also done commissions for the Princess Cruise Lines (1996–1997), Queens Hospital Center (2004) and the Peninsula Hotel in Shanghai (2010).
Melissa Meyer's paintings and works on paper are included in many public and private collections, such as The Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Brooklyn Museum, The Jewish Museum, The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and The National Academy Museum. Meyer currently teaches at the School of Visual Arts
in New York.
Life and Work
Melissa Meyer was born in the Bronx and grew up in QueensQueens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
. She studied at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
from 1968 to 1975, receiving a B.S. and an M.A. Meyer spent her summers as a scholarship student at the Provincetown Workshop, working with Leo Manso and Victor Candell. Shortly thereafter, in 1974, Meyer made her first visit to Yaddo
Yaddo
Yaddo is an artists' community located on a 400 acre estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. Its mission is "to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment."...
, upon the recommendation of Helen Frankenthaler
Helen Frankenthaler
Helen Frankenthaler is an American abstract expressionist painter. She is a major contributor to the history of postwar American painting. Having exhibited her work in six decades she has spanned several generations of abstract painters while continuing to produce vital and ever-changing new work...
. Since that time, she has made countless visits to Yaddo and is currently a board member. Melissa Meyer has been the recipient of many other grants and residencies as well, including a fellowship at The American Academy in Rome (1980), two National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
grants (1983, 1993), the National Academy 183rd Invitational Eric Isenburger Annual Award (2008) and a Pollock-Krasner Foundation
Pollock-Krasner Foundation
The Pollock-Krasner Foundation was established in 1985 for the purpose of providing financial assistance to individual working artists of established ability. It was established at the bequest of Lee Krasner, who was an American abstract expressionist painter and the widow of fellow painter Jackson...
Grant (2009). In the late-seventies, Melissa Meyer questioned why so many women made collages, an idea that sparked Miriam Schapiro
Miriam Schapiro
Miriam Schapiro is a Canadian-born artist based in America. She is a pioneer of feminist art. She is also considered part of the Pattern and Decoration art movement....
’s interest. Their collaboration became the influential Heresies article entitled Femmage.
Meyer has exhibited over 40 solo shows, beginning in 1976, and has also contributed to numerous group shows. She is currently represented by the New York gallery Lennon, Weinberg, Inc. On her last solo exhibition at Lennon, Weinberg, Lance Esplund wrote “… the works suggest a range of elements—water, fire, solid, air—and of personality. The fusion of line and ground in this body of work creates an interplay in which linear movements become spatial arabesques.” In 1984, Meyer had the first one-person exhibit at Exit Art
Exit Art
Exit Art is a non-profit cultural center established in 1982. Located in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City, United States, the two-story gallery exhibits contemporary visual art, installation, video, theater, and performance....
, with an accompanying catalogue essay by Stephen Westfall
Stephen Westfall
Stephen Westfall is an American painter, critic, and professor at Bard College.He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. and M.F.A...
. From 2003- 2005 she exhibited with Elizabeth Harris. Her 2003 exhibition was accompanied by a catalogue, with an essay written by Meg Wolitzer
Meg Wolitzer
Meg Wolitzer is an American writer, born on Long Island, New York. She is the daughter of novelist Hilma Wolitzer.She studied creative writing at Smith College and graduated from Brown University in 1981. She wrote her first novel, Sleepwalking, a story of three college girls obsessed with...
. In 2006-2008, she held a solo survey exhibition of her black and white works on paper at the New York Studio School. The show then traveled to Weigand Gallery and Notre Dame de Namur University. Meyer held another survey show at Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
, which traveled to Selby Gallery and Ringling College of Art and Design. The catalogue included essays by Robert Storr
Robert Storr
-Education:Robert Storr received his B.A. in History and French from Swarthmore College in 1972, and earned an M.F.A. in Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1978.-Career:...
and David Cohen. Melissa Meyer was included in a group show at The National Academy Museum in New York, entitled Contemporary Selections: Aligning Abstraction in 2011.
In 1997, Melissa Meyer's sketchbooks were reprinted in facsimile format, published by the Mezzanine Gallery of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
.
In 2001-2002, she completed two large lobby murals for the Shiodome City Center
Shiodome City Center
is a skyscraper in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan managed by Mitsui Fudosan.Fujitsu's worldwide headquarters are in Shiodome City Center. The airline All Nippon Airways maintains its headquarters and a ticketing office at the building. The subsidiaries Air Nippon, ANA & JP Express, and...
, designed by Roche-Dinkeloo
Roche-Dinkeloo
Roche-Dinkeloo, otherwise known as Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates LLC , is an architectural firm based in Hamden, Connecticut founded in 1966....
and Associates, in the Minato district of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. One mural is 60 by 11 feet, comprising eight panels. The other measures 40 by 50 feet, comprising 35 panels. She painted these in a rented studio in Brooklyn and during the summer she spent as faculty at Skowhegan in the summer of 2002. Meyer has also done commissions for the Princess Cruise Lines (1996–1997), Queens Hospital Center (2004) and the Peninsula Hotel in Shanghai (2010).
Melissa Meyer's paintings and works on paper are included in many public and private collections, such as The Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Brooklyn Museum, The Jewish Museum, The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and The National Academy Museum. Meyer currently teaches at the School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts , is a proprietary art school located in Manhattan, New York City, and is widely considered to be one of the leading art schools in the United States. It was established in 1947 by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School and...
in New York.