Melissa Sue Stanley
Contemporary Surrealism Watercolor paintingSoft sculptureIllustrationColored pencilAirbrush
About
Melissa Sue Stanley is a contemporary illustrator and sculptor from northern Illinois whose work draws inspiration from vibrant Midwestern summers and the natural world. Her artistic practice spans multiple media, including watercolor painting, soft sculpture, and illustration, with a focus on exploring hidden moments of magic and mystery in landscapes. Her storytelling project, Grisella's Woolbeast Wayguide, features imaginative creatures she has been developing for 15 years that are collected internationally and exhibited in galleries worldwide.
Contemporary surrealism with emphasis on natural imagery, magical realism, and storytelling through illustration and soft sculpture
Selected Exhibitions
- We Have Fun: duo exhibit with Max Bare (March 2018, Rev Billy's, Chicago, IL)
- C2E2 2018: Artist Alley (Chicago, IL)
- Masks: Strange Dreams Collective (May 2018, Thumbprint Gallery, CA)
- The World of Frida
- Wings: Strange Dreams Collective (December 2018, online)
- Patches & Stitches (July 2015, Light Grey Art Lab, Minneapolis, MN)
- The Nightmare in Wonderland Project, Part II (April 2015, Distinction Gallery, Escondido, CA)
- Sensual Chicago: Celebrating Chicago's Burlesque