All Roads

Because this one-of-a-kind piece is highly textured, the images below may show faint "hot spots" caused by light reflecting off the peaks of paint. Additional scans are available on request.

(Enlarged to show details. Most of the lines in this piece are three-dimensional ridges or grooves.)

This is a beautiful, deeply satisfying piece filled with bold fall hues. It also has a variety of intriguing textures that beg to be touched. And it continues my interest in the subtle inclusion of language in art with a single phrase painted in very small letters that reads, "All roads lead you to your heart."

I feel certain that we each follow a specific path for a specific reason. I was recently talking with an old friend and he said that he knew since we were kids that I would be an artist. He said there was nothing else for me to be. I was meant to be an artist. Similarly, I always knew he would be a teacher. But I did not set out to be an artist and he did not set out to be a teacher. While it can be frustrating for those who love us to see us heading down roads which seem ill-chosen, I am certain that all roads lead us back to our hearts. I needed to sell cars and recruit corporate folks and manage an office and work at an art school in order to develop into the artist that I am. And my friend needed to do all sorts of unusual and unexpected things before he could become the teacher he was meant to be. So wherever you find yourself today, please do not worry about finding your way. Trust that your way has been found and that the experiences you face today are entirely necessary for the creation of your intended future.

How All Roads was created..... Once the black gesso primer dried, I used palette knives to create a gorgeous rich expressionist field of color. I then "engraved" the lines of this image with dental tools. Many of the lines were continually retraced between each layer of paint to keep the grooves clear. I used a soft damp cloth to rub on multiple transparent washes in deep earth tones. And I also used a dry cloth to blot through those washes in key places. This piece also has some soft brush painting and some fine detail work, too. I finished with tiny detail brushes, painting the heart, key highlights, the words and my signature.

(The sides have been painted a deep dark shade of brown. This is a digital photo. The scans above are more accurate.)

All roads was painted on a wooden board created specifically for use by artists. It has a recessed slot in the back allowing you to hang it flush with the wall. The sides of the board have been painted as well so that this piece would look wonderful displayed unframed either directly on the wall or on a small, decorative table-top easel. It is also very stable standing on edge and can be displayed that way on a shelf or table. ***NOTE: I can include a new black, wood, mission-style display easel with your order for just $10.00. Please email me and let me know if you would like one.

IMPORTANT: The words & images on this site are copyrighted & may not be used FOR ANY PURPOSE without the written consent of Melissa A. Robinson.

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SPECIAL NOTE: This site is gigantic. And it evolved over the course of ten years and 2,000 paintings. So far as I know, this is the largest single-artist portfolio website on the internet. Very exciting, but I am a technological boob and I maintain this site all by myself. That means there are glitches here and there. Some pages are outdated. Some formatting looks out of whack on different browsers. You get the idea. I apologize if you run into problems. PLEASE email me and tell me about 'em so I can fix them. Thank you! Love to you, Melissa