The Friends of the Walton County Coastal Branch Library are honored to host award-winning artist Melody Bogle from May 1 to July 10, 2023. A member of the Emerald Coast Plein Air Artists, Melody has won 2016 Visit South Walton Artist of the Year and a Best in Show at the Cultural Arts Association’s ArtsQuest award, among many other awards.
Her artwork, which includes both oil and pastel paintings, has been exhibited in several local galleries, including the Cultural Arts Alliance’s Foster Gallery.
When she was a child, Melody’s family vacationed to the Emerald Coast, and the love for the waters and the white dunes started to grow. The family then moved to the area where visits to the beach were more frequent. Her painting in oils began just out of high school. Her drawing skills were recognized by her father and the search for a teacher began. From that point on art has been a conscious part of her life. Pastels were discovered along the journey and took over as the media of choice.
Upon retirement Melody moved back to the Emerald Coast and to South Walton to those beautiful emerald colored waters, the white dunes and those beautiful lilies floating on the waters of those rare Coastal Dune Lakes. She was introduced to Plein Air painting locally when taking a pastel workshop with Albert Handel. The love of the outdoors and art together brought a new growth to her work. She joined the local Emerald Coast Plein Air Painters and went out weekly with the group to paint in many locations in the area.
Her artistic gifts are also being used in another manner as she volunteers with Associates for Biblical Research and travels to Israel yearly to participate in their dig at Shiloh and draw the important objects that are unearthed to be used for publication. She calls herself ‘blessed’ as her Lord has brought together the love of archeology and art. This exhibit will feature several of Melody’s artworks in both oils and pastels with subject matter from Italy, California, and the local Emerald Coast area.
Artists interested in being considered for future exhibits, please contact Dorothea Berkhout at berkhout148@gmail.com. The Coastal Branch library is located at 437 Greenway Trail in Santa Rosa Beach. Open Thursday-Tuesday, 9AM-5PM. Call (850) 267-2809 for more information.
Author: Sowal Editor
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